Dragon's Heart
by Omegas Prime
Summary: Love blossoms from hardship and adversity. This is the story of the Dragon Commander and his chosen wife. Ophelia, Aida, Camilla, Lohannah. They're all here! Watch how they fall in love with their draconic prince and the effect he had on their lives as his queen.
1. I Am Dragon Commander!

My name is Siegfried Dracohart. King, Commander, Dragon. History has known me as, Bastard Prince, Drake-Spawn, Ruler of the Raven, Firestorm, I have gone by many names, but the moniker I wear at most times is Dragon Commander.

I wasn't always these things. While my life wasn't all normal I grew up normal. Living in a simple cabin away from my depressed Father King and my hateful half-siblings. It was only me and my mother for a time. After my mother passed it was just me among the commoners and life was good. Until one day I was approached by the grand wizard Maxos. Apparently my half-siblings assassinated my father and went mad with power. They were fighting among themselves and split the kingdom apart in the process. Full out war, along with countless deaths was upon them. And Maxos wanted me to stop them.

I refused at first, not because I was scared, but because who would ever follow a bastard and one who had no real leadership skills or training? Sure I was okay with a sword and I could turn into a fire-breathing monster at will, but still. However, with the rest of my siblings having gone mad I was the only one to bring some semblance of order and peace to the land. I didn't care about the throne and becoming king but I did want to save everyone from such a horrid fate and if I could put an end to the madness, all the more reason to step up. The flying wonder known as the Raven may have also played a part in boosting my confidence.

After my first several battles all the races saw the good I was doing and quickly got behind me by sending representatives to support me. I had gained four generals and a cabinet of the six races with me being the representative of the humans. At least that's what Maxos said. Honestly I didn't understand why I represented the humans when I was part dragon and not even a politician. But I digress.

My generals were mainly comprised of humans and one lizard. Henry, a hardass former soldier of the empire, Scarlet the spunky high-spirited girl, Catherine the queen of all feminist, and Edmund the lizard with the biggest ego in the world. Honestly they all have their annoyances and quirks, but I can safely say I trust them and even see them as my friends. Even Catherine with her unbearable ultra-feminist views and Edmund's stuck-up-ness.

My councilors on the other hand are a different story. None are my friend and a single one of them is more annoying then Catherine and Edmund put together. And I spend half my days in a confined room with all five! But as the saying goes: keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Though they weren't really my enemies, they still only looked out for themselves. Yorick was my Undead Councilor, and like most of his people a religious zealot. Oberon was my Elven Councilor and probably the whiniest man in the world. Falstaff was my Dwarven Councilor and like the rest of his people a complete capitalist. Prospera was the best politician of her democratic government so of course the lizards sent her. And lastly there was Trinculo, the imp councilor who was as good a politician as he was crazy.

My stance with them can be summed up like this. Yorick I absolutely despised. We rarely agreed on anything when it came to politics. Not to mention the unbearable bag of bones was a complete hypocrite. Falstaff and Oberon were pretty much the same; the only difference was their political view, Oberon being an uber-libertine and Falstaff a capitalist. And finally out of all the councilors Prospera and Trinculo were the ones I got along the best with and agreed on most of their issues. Trinculo only cared about advancing science and technology so it was pretty easy to please him, though I knew when to draw the line when it came to the boundaries of science. Prospera, while I had great respect for her, was the one I was most weary of. Despite us agreeing on more occasions then not, she was a better politician then all the others. Which is what made her more dangerous then all of them. She knew how to use her words and make it seem like it was the better choice, but in the end she was only looking out for her people and government. Many times I nearly fell into her traps. So whenever I talk with her I watch my words and I watch hers.

You would think with so many arrogant, stubborn and crazy people I'd lose my mind. But one thing or I should say one person always manages to lift my spirits. The one person to be there for me every time I come back from battle or a meeting with my advisors and generals. The one special lady that I was forced to marry, but grew to appreciate, my wonderful wife and queen . . .

* * *

 **So this is a little something I've been wanting to do. I'll be going over all four princesses, from the beginning of their relationship to the end. I'm looking forward to this and I hope you all do too. Just so you know, other then the name and his (my) feelings towards certain characters, the Dragon Commander is going to be completely ambiguous. No physical description whatsoever, this is about the princesses. Also his personality may change a little depending on the princess chosen.**


	2. Undying Love

Ophelia, the Undead Princess. No doubt a once beautiful creature judging from her skeletal structure, posture, and silky voice. Still very beautiful if you could get past the whole dead thing. Which I did. I can see the beauty in everything including death. And Ophelia was definitely a beautiful woman.

I chose her as my bride because she was a frail and timid thing. It was obvious that she was roped into this arrangement against her will. I took pity on her and saved her from the pressures of her superiors and even my own Undead Advisor Yorrick. Even as I did, I knew there was something else bothering her. Something that Yorrick knew, but did not share. But now that Ophelia and I were wedded perhaps I could find a way to ease her burden.

* * *

I entered my private quarters aboard the Raven. They were simple accommodations, but luxurious enough to suit someone of noble blood. Or at least as much noble blood a bastard could have.

My room wasn't anything unique. A circular queen sized bed with velvet sheets. A globe-shaped liquor cabinet with an assortment of alcohols was presented to the side of the bed. A table and chair set sat next to a large window. It was actually more bland then it sounded. There was absolutely no personality in the room. It's not like I didn't want to change a few things, but with my constant battling and meeting with both my generals and advisors I just didn't have the time to give it a touchup.

As I entered my room, waiting for me was my new bride, the Princess of the Undead race: Ophelia. She was staring forlornly out the window. I could tell something was troubling her from the way she rubbed her bony hands together.

She turned around at hearing me approach and as I made my way to her, I gave her an appraising look. Adorned in a formfitting, long, dark purple gown with no sleeves and a black corset to match. A red rose was stitched onto the hip where it bordered between the skirt and the corset. Her eyes were shrouded by a cowl that was of the same color as her gown. All that could be seen of her face was her mouth which was painted with red lipstick. Her neck was decorated with a thorny choker and a silver necklace ornamented with a ruby heart and golden cross. She truly was beautiful.

We finally reached each other and we both remained quiet for a moment. Neither one of us was sure what to do. We were both new to this marriage thing. Ophelia would be the one to break our awkward silence.

"Such a pleasant chamber this is, my be-all and end-all; so light and luxurious. Quite different from the rooms I frequented afore, dark as the grave , black as the secret branded upon my very being . . ."

She looked like she was on the brink of tears. I reached to grab her hands to comfort her, but she pulled back and buried her hands in her face. Were she capable I knew she would cry tears.

"What ails you, Ophelia?" I asked her. "Please, I do not wish to see such a woman as you shed tears."

"O I can hide it no longer, it singes my soul! Perchance if I confess, its devils sting will subside. You have been deceived, dearest dragon. For you have married a princess destined for decay! Not mine is the holy Perpetuity of the Bone: a malicious malady mangles my marrow. Thus I have been punished by the Seven—so say the priests of the Skeleton Spire—though for what insidious infraction, I know not."

I couldn't help, but roll my eyes. I was a believer in the Seven well enough, but the Undead were a different sort. They were such zealots they thought everything revolved around the gods. If something terrible happened to an innocent person, who had done no wrong their entire lives, the Undead were quick to believe that they deserved it. They could be completely faithful and the Skeleton priests would still believe they were justly punished by the gods. Ludicrous.

My pity heightened for this poor girl.

Ophelia looked down in utter sadness. "They have forbidden me to seek a cure. For to do so would be to defy the decree of the divines."

This also didn't surprise me. The Undead were seriously against things such as medicine. Anything that halted your death from happening was utterly frowned upon. Total nonsense! My anger towards Yorrick and the Skeleton Spire tripled.

Ophelia placed her hands over her chest where her heart would've been. "But now that I am here, my love, here aboard this wondrous Raven, I hope I may as yet counter the cancer that consumes me." She looked hopefully at me. "You'll stand by me, won't you, my love? I long to banish the blight that burdens my body, but I cannot dispel it alone."

I was shocked. Pleasantly so! I did not think that the Princess of the Undead, an avid believer of the Seven, would go against her very teachings and try to find a cure to save herself. Even the less pious skeletons would never dare to even THINK such a thing. She was willing to risk everything to save herself from her cancer. Yorrick and the Undead in general would throw a fit if they were to learn Ophelia was going against the "will of the gods" and desired to live.

The very thought brought a satisfying smile to my face.

I approached my new wife. I grabbed ahold of both her hands and cupped them in mine. I looked past her cowl and stared deeply into her non-existent eyes. She seemed taken aback by my actions, but she did not look away and the hope seemed to rise from her features.

"Your pleads have not fallen on deaf ears. As you husband, I will support you, my lady." I promised lovingly. I kissed the back of her hand to show her my desire to help her.

Her skeletal hands gripped mine as if I was a life line. And in a way I was. She hiccupped and her shoulders shuddered. She wasn't sad though. She was happy. Happy that she had a chance to be saved and live longer. But also, happy that someone would stay at her side in her hour of need.

"My dragon, my emperor . . . my husband . . . thank you."

* * *

For two days I was out in the field. Battling my half-sibling's forces, taking down strongholds of soldiers and mercenaries, and building up my army and arsenal.

I entered my private quarters and found it to be completely redecorated. The bed, tables, and chairs pretty much all the furniture was removed. The large window was covered up by a thick drape with the only ambience of the room being the candlelight of the new chandelier and candle stands. In front of the draped window was a large ornate mirror. By the mirror was a fancy red chair. The bed was replaced with . . . a coffin. A black coffin with the golden symbol of the Skeleton Spire emblazoned on it.

"I hope she doesn't expect me to sleep in that." I said nervously. I was all for trying new things, but this maybe stretching it.

Ophelia came out from behind the curtains on the far side of the room. Her expression seemed one of joy.

"My moon and sun, joyous tidings! I have not the time hence it takes my hourglass to void its life, parleyed with an imp of wise and cryptic nature. A shaman widely idolized among his kind."

"What did he have to say?"

"He has ensured me he can concoct a brew laced with ingredients of most mystic fancy that will drive the sickness from my bones, much like a single burst of your mighty fire-breath would cleanse a kobold-cluttered lair."

"That's great!" I said happy for her. But she looked downcast. She seemed hesitant. Her next words confirmed this.

"And yet, apprehension doth beset me; caution stays my hand."

Ah, so that was it.

"Should I not witness first the broth's effects on one of a more robust and steady disposition? An orc, say, a creature—so I am told—that could bed the Black Death itself and greet the morn unscathed."

I stroked my chin in thought. Her concerns were not unfounded. What she was attempting to do could be hazardess, just as much as it could be beneficial.

"I don't believe you should test it on an orc. They are a different species compared to Undead, so the result will likely not be the same even if tested. Perhaps they should be tested on other Undead who suffer from the same sickness as you?"

"B-but, if the broth is harmful . . . what if it . . ."

She was nervous about harming or worse killing her own kind in the goal of saving herself.

"They suffer the same fate you do." I said. "Death the end result? Maybe. Or it could be one step closer to the cure. This is my advice to you, my lady."

She placed her hand on her chest and gave my words some thought.

"That means it shall be me who delivers them unto the Reaper . . . or from him. Only the Seven can tell." She sighed. "If such is thy counsel, my love, then so shall it be."

* * *

I had come from another terrible battle. A large ensemble of bandits decided to exploit the chaos of the war and take a great portion of land as their own. They pillaged and raped the surrounding villages to their black hearts content. So of course my army and I were called in to deal with them.

Not as easy as it sounded. They were dug in like fat ticks and took quite the effort to pull them out. They had stolen war machines and factories from both my siblings and I. Making them a force to be reckoned with. But like all the others that had come before me. They were no match for Henry's leadership, Scarlet's sneakiness, and my dragon fire. I burned down their fortress and captured all of the men and women who took advantage of the land and people.

I sat down in a red chair in my quarters. I was exhausted. It seemed like I rarely just had a time to relax. There was always something more to do.

"O my heart and soul, how I have prayed for your swift return!" Ophelia said as she came bursting through the door.

Case in point.

I saw the worry on her face and her hands clutched to her chest.

"What is wrong, Ophelia?" I asked with concern.

After she collected herself she spoke. "Never should I have allowed desperation to trump circumspection. I am entirely to blame for what has happened. The imp's potion . . . Seven bless us, one might as well apply magma to alleviate sunburn!"

I flinched. What happened with the potion must have been terrible to behold. I felt sorry and responsible for having put Ophelia through that.

Ophelia looked down in sorrow. "My wretched brethren, they drank the shamanistic brew presuming it to be tea, not a herald of decay! Afore my very eyes their once proud frames toppled in upon themselves and turned to powder upon the barren floor. Only their souls remain, hovering helplessly upon capricious currents like ephemeral jewels evoked from stardust."

I grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze to comfort her. "I'm sorry you had to witness that Ophelia. I'm sorry I put you through that." I couldn't help but feel to blame for those poor Undead and for giving the idea to my wife in the first place.

Ophelia squeezed my hand back and looked me in the eye. "Nay! This is not your fault, my love. I chose to follow your advice. This is my burden to bear." She actually perked up with the next words she had. "Fear not, my dragon, for my brethren have not perished, they simply lack a vessel. Their souls are still alive and intact. Long as these remain, however, their existence upon our earthy plain has yet to end and they perchance be given refuge. Sir Yorrick demands the provision of living vessels, but mister Trinculo swears employing technology of his people is the more sensible course to steer."

I listened to her proposal and thought it over. While Trinculo's offer had merit, it would feel like I was cheating the Undead someway. I loath to admit it, especially when it means I'm giving in to my bag-of-bones councilor, but Yorrick was right to demand such a thing. His own people were unwittingly used as test subjects and were now just floating around aimlessly. The problem is, where would I find willing subjects to volunteer their bodies for Undead souls? I couldn't just take random people off the street. I may owe the Undead for this, but that didn't mean I was ready to sacrifice just anyone.

Then an idea struck me. There were perfectly healthy bodies I had just sent to prison. These people were scum, the worst of the worst. So of course they would be condemned to death. Why waste their lives on something like that?

"No. I will give Yorrick what he wants. Begrudgingly so." I mumbled. "There just so happens to be some new condemned prisoners I had recently acquired. We will replace their brains with these Undead souls and give them a new chance at life."

"May the gods honor their sacrifice and furnish their afterlives with solemn bliss and hallowed beatitude. Their will be done."

I was going through some documents that my advisors said I should look over. It had been a few days since I gave the Undead those bandits. My decision caused a bit of a stirring, what with it being a bit unethical, but in the end they were amoral bandits. So not many people cared.

I looked up from my paperwork when I heard my doors open and in came my wife.

"My night and day, praise be unto the Seven, for we have booked a great and perfect success! The ill-starred who were so suddenly stripped from their sacred skeletons no longer mourn the bones that were snatched away from them, but celebrate a new life instead, cloaked in warm-blooded rapture."

"What happened?" I questioned. She seemed so excited. A big change considering what happened last time.

"They breathe, my love! They can smell, taste, and feel—experience the world in ways wonderfully enigmatic to the Undead! I, too, in these mysteries could partake if my soul be rendered unto a woman of bodily perfection . . ."

My eyes widened in horror. Ophelia was suggesting she take the body of a living young woman in order to be alive.

I stood up from my chair and grabbed a hold of her hand. I slowly led her towards the bed in the back of the room. The coffin that was brought in was Ophelia's alone to sleep in. The bed was just moved to the back behind the red curtains where the coffin stood. She hadn't slept in her coffin for days now, for she shared the bed with me. It was one of the few times we felt comfort with all the ordeals going on.

She seemed confused by my actions, but never the less remained silent to see what I would do and say.

We sat down on the end of the bed. My hands still held hers.

"Ophelia, my black rose, my damsel of decay, I desire nothing more than to save you from your fate." I stroked her knuckles as I spoke. She perked up in what I assumed was happiness. I felt ashamed to crush it with my next words.

"However, I cannot let you take the body of a young woman so that you may live again. It would not be right to take her life so that you may have yours."

Ophelia was silent as she processed my words.

"But, you allowed my brethren to take the bodies of those prisoners." She reasoned.

"That's because they were already set for death and I owed those Undead for what I put them through. What you're suggesting is that we find an innocent woman and take her body just so you can have it for yourself. That is not right, Ophelia. I cannot get behind such an idea."

My wife looked down. Dejection and sorrow clear upon her skeletal face. I had crushed her hopes without a second thought. At this point I felt like utter shit. I felt I didn't deserve this gentle and beautiful creature.

I placed my hand upon the opposite side of her head and brought it close to mine. I hugged my head to hers. She gasped at my action, but she didn't pull away and I never let go of her delicate fingers.

"I'm sorry, my love." I said. "Here you thought you finally had an answer, only for me to mercilessly take it away and bring you back to step one. I am a terrible husband."

"Nay, my night and stars. You are the most wondrous husband a woman could ever dream and hope to ask for. You are right; it is selfish of me to deprive someone of their life and body just so I may have them instead. I still have time, I will find another way. Thank you for your guidance, my love."

I couldn't help, but be bewildered by her words. It brought absolute joy to me very being.

"I don't deserve you." I breathed.

She looked away again. Her eyes fell upon the floor bashfully. "Nay, dear dragon, it is I who doesn't deserve you."

I smiled.

I grabbed her chin with my thumb and index finger and turned her head towards me. We both immersed ourselves in each other's eyes. After what felt like an eternity, I leaned in to kiss her.

But she turned away at the last second.

"My love, no." She said solemnly. "Not when I'm . . . like this." She raised her skeletal hand to make her point.

"Ophelia, we've known each other for months now. We've shared this bed happily with each other." I waved my arm toward the large furniture we sat on. "We haven't even shared a kiss, a real kiss, with each other."

It was true. We never kissed before, despite being married. We never had an actual wedding either, our union was rushed because of the war and politics. I knew Ophelia wished to, but she always ran away before I could kiss her.

"Do . . . you not wish to kiss me?"

She turned her head to me so fast I was worried she'd get whiplash. "No! More than anything do I wish to partake in your awesome addicting affections, but you deserve to kiss an actual beautiful woman. Not this hollowed body of decay and destitution." She looked down yet again. It was as if the longer this conversation went, the sadder she got.

"I keep telling you, Ophelia, you are beautiful." I reassured her.

"I hear the jibes of the people as you walk by them. The mockery you receive of marrying a corpse."

That was also true. If I had a gold coin for every necrophilia joke that was shot my way, I'd be a very rich man. Well, rich-er. Emperor, remember?

"It's because of me they shoot jests and heckles at you. Because of me your name is ridiculed. If I were a beautiful woman instead of this caging cadaver you would not suffer such derision. I do not wish to lower your image any further, not until I am a woman worthy of standing at your side."

I force her head to look at me. She flinched away when she saw the anger in my eyes. How can she say such things?!

"If I can't love you for you, if I can't accept who you are then I would be unworthy of you even if you had flesh and a beating heart. I love you, Ophelia. An Undead or living being, I will ALWAYS love you."

And with that I pressed my lips against hers. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't awkward. She didn't have lips to use, just skeletal teeth with lipstick painted over the front teeth, but I didn't care. This kiss still brought me nothing but pleasure and from the whimpers and gasps I heard from her, Ophelia felt the same way.

I pulled back to look at her. She was so beautiful.

"I love you." She said happily.

"And I love you."


	3. Life and Love

**Warning: Lemon in this chapter!**

* * *

I awoke from my slumber when I felt something missing. I felt around on the other side of the bed and found it vacant, which it wasn't last night. I lifted my head to see that Ophelia was no longer in bed or in the room. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and pulled the covers off me. It took me a moment to realize, after I stood up, that I was naked.

I smiled mirthfully. Last night was the first time Ophelia and I kissed and also the first time we slept together nude. No sex came out of it because Ophelia just wasn't ready for that step, but I had a feeling we'd get there soon. Just being close was good enough right now.

I stepped out of the bedroom past the curtains and found Ophelia standing near the ornate mirror. She was completely naked and seemed so focused on her reflection. I moved towards her. She made no notice of me until I reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

She flinched from my touch and looked at me as if just now seeing me. We looked at each other until she turned her head back to the mirror.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. My arms wrapped around her delicate frame.

"I'm just imagining my appearance as a mortal." She said.

"Oh?"

She placed her bony fingers on the mirror. A look of longing was on her face.

"Yes. I see . . . a woman of untold beauty and perfection. Flawless, snow white skin. A gorgeous face adorned with crystal blues eyes, ruby red lips, and a waterfall of golden hair that shines like the sun."

I could honestly picture the image of her mortal form and it was beautiful. I caressed my queen rubbing her hips, her arms, then finally I reached her chest or more specifically her ribs. I gently touched her bones . . . she could feel none of it, but I knew that she appreciated being held and touched.

I was brought out of my loving musings when she jolted in my arms, bringing her out of her daydreams. I frowned as I had forgotten one important thing. While true she could not feel anything, pain or pleasure, like all Undead, there was one thing that she could feel no matter what: the cancer forming on her ribs.

I looked at the mirror and saw my hands hovering over the fifth rib down. I quickly retreated my hand away from the bloated and black spot. Undead had none of the five senses, but if they were to contract a disease or other ailment that could harm or damage their frame, that was when they could feel pain.

"I'm sorry." I apologized.

"Do not worry, Siegfried." She said in a somewhat sad tone. "It cannot be helped with this accursed cancer."

She turned to me, showing off the cancer that was spreading to most of her body, but very slowly.

"With the body-swapping magic out, what do you intend to do now?" I asked her.

"I . . . am unsure. I am back to where I started. No change whatsoever. I could look at Sir Trinculo's designs of those machines again, but even those I am . . . uncomfortably unsure of."

I looked to the ground. It was my fault that she had to start all over again. I felt like such a cruel person for shortening my wife's life.

Her fingers gently lifted my head up.

"Do not feel sorrow for me, my love." She told me softly. "It is not your fault. I chose to start again at the behest of my worsening condition. I must do this right or not at all." She said fervently.

I cupped her hands into mine and gave them both a kiss. To which she sighed lovingly at.

"I promise you this, Ophelia. We will get through this. We will find a cure and we will save you. This I swear on my love and my title as king."

"And t'would we fail at our mission of salvation?"

A looked sadly at her. Such thoughts I didn't want plaguing me, but with all the heart and resilience I had I answered.

"Then I will stay by your side." I bent the knee and stared adoringly up at her. "Till death do us part and till my death bring us together again."

* * *

Another battle fought and won. So much strategizing and life loss, both can take a toll on the mind. I sighed tiredly as I walked down the hall to my quarters. I was getting closer and closer to taking the kingdom from my deranged family. The only one left was my eldest brother. Hopefully nothing bad would happen once he was deposed. I could really use a break.

So could Ophelia. Her mind has been plagued with nothing but death and survival.

I walked into my room and I was quickly greeted to my wife's excited face.

"My light and dark, such news I have to share!"

"What is it Ophelia?" I was once again surprised by the complete turnaround of her mood.

"Is it not miraculous that upon the very edge of desperation I should find salvation perched, its legs dangling nonchalantly over the edge? Icaros is my liberator's name, a wizard of fearsome, but revered reputation. He has travelled from beyond the Endless Grey to undo my plight, moved as he was by the tales of the withering princess who by her very nature should be impervious to death, were it not that sickness stalked her soul."

Now that she mentioned it, he heard there was some foreign magic master around.

Ophelia continued. "He has powers that are as prodigious as they are unique. With the talent of a virtuoso, he shall, according to my instructions, brandish his brush upon bare canvas, and there beget a woman of ultimate beauty. Then when his masterpiece is finished, he will weave nameless magic: I shall be the painted phantasmagoria come to life!"

My eyes widened in pure surprise. To think someone would literally just waltz up to our doors and offer a chance to save my fair wife, but just as quickly as my surprise came it was replaced with skepticism. Not of the man's abilities, no one would dare boast such feats and be lying about it. No, I was skeptical of the man's motives and desires. It would shock me more that he would do any of this out of the goodness of his heart.

"What does he desire in return for this action?" I asked her, straight to the point.

That was when Ophelia's excited mood turned sour slightly.

"Yes, of course you would realize that Icaros was not moved solely by the kindness of his heart. The need for recompense doth besmirch his noble intentions." She lamented. "One of two things he asks of me: a night between my sheets once my transformation is complete, or a hoard of gold the likes of which would fill his far-off palace to its very brim . . ."

I couldn't help but gape from my wife's words. The man either demanded an unthinkable amount of gold that would more than likely empty out my entire treasury, thus probably destroying all my efforts in the war. Or a single night with my wife in the sack. The audacity of that man!

It took all my self-control and the pleading look of my wife to not turn into my dragon form and roast the son of a bitch!

Ophelia looked at me with expectant sockets. She didn't know what to do in this situation and in truth I wasn't sure either.

"What say you, my love?" She asked.

I cupped my chin and began pacing the length of the room. Thoughts were fired through my head as I tried to think of a way around this. Ophelia just waited silently, allowing me to ponder the next course of action.

After giving it some thought, I had finally reached a conclusion. I gave my queen a serious stare. The look made her stand straighter than usual.

"Unfortunately, Ophelia, I cannot grant the later request. Doing so could completely destroy the war effort."

Ophelia looked down sadly, but also understandably. "I . . .I understand my dragon, so I must take part in the man's desire for the flesh—"

I halted her words before she could finish.

"No." I said even more seriously. I approached her and took her hands. "I will not grant his first request either."

Ophelia looked shocked. "Nothing? Again, nothing. Another chance dangles in front of me, like a starving beast being toyed with a piece of meat and you want me to do nothing?" She sounded almost outraged.

I could understand why, but she had yet to hear the rest of what I had to say.

"We cannot pay him all the wealth in the kingdom. That is a situation of the needs of one over the many. And I refuse to sully your honor by having him sleep with you. That's something only between us! However! We can give him a substitute instead." I smiled cockily.

"A substitute?" She questioned confusedly.

I reach down into my shirt and pull out an amulet.

"This was the last gift from my mother before she passed. A memento."

Ophelia stared adoringly at the trinket. And understandably so.

The amulet was in the shape of a dragon's head. The head was made entirely of gold, its crown of horns were made of lapis lazuli, a diamond decorated the forehead of the beast, and it's piercing red eyes were made of rubies.

"It is beautiful, my love. But . . ." she looked at me with doubt. "I am sure of its value, but it won't be enough to satisfy Icaros' greed."

I smirked knowingly. "Normally, yes, but this amulet has a surprise in it."

I clicked the amulet and the dragon's head opened wide. Inside the mouth of the dragon was something so beautiful, no words could ever do it justice. It was about the size of a pearl, but was not such. It was oval shaped and shined as bright as the stars of a night sky. Ophelia gasped at such a jewel hidden away in the maw of the dragon.

"It is beautiful."

"It's the rarest of rare gems. My mother said she found it centuries ago. She said it was called a Heaven's Jewel as something so beautiful could only come from the heavens themselves. Beyond priceless. And I want you to have it."

I closed the amulet and placed it in her delicate hands.

"N-no! My love, I cannot possibly take this. Not only should something like this not be in my possession, but it is the last thing you have to remember your mother."

She tried to give back the amulet, but I refused and pushed her hands away. My hands then enwrapped her closed ones.

"I want you to have this, Ophelia. I want you to use it to get a new body and save yourself. I couldn't save my mother, but I can save you. And I know, wherever she may be, mother would be happy that I used her gift to save your life."

I kissed her on the lips.

"My gift to you, my love, my queen."

She brought her hands and the amulet to her heart. I knew that if she could she would be weeping right now. I wrapped my arms around her and embraced her.

"Thank you, my love. For this joyous gift, for this wonderful life. There will be no way to repay you for it."

"Yes there is." I stopped hugging her and cupped her face. I stared straight into her dark eye sockets where I could swear I could see her beautiful soul.

"All I want from you. Is your love and heart."

Ophelia was quiet.

"It has always been yours."

* * *

Another battle, another win. It was getting easier and easier with every confrontation. I usually let my generals handle most of the battles but every now and again I desire to stretch my wings and breathe fire down on some poor souls! The war could be tiring at time, but damn if it wasn't so much fun!

I was taken out of my musings when Yorick, my Undead Councilor, approached me in the bridge. Or more accurately he confronted me, as he stomped toward me with a skeletal scowl somewhat.

"Can I help you with something, Yorick?" I really didn't want to help him, but Maxos said I had to be courteous like a king.

"Gods have mercy on Ophelia's soul Commander, for I have not." He said in contempt.

"Ophelia has returned?" I asked excitedly.

"She has, but not as she left. Gone is her skeletal grace, swept aside is the pure beauty of the bone. Even riddled with disease her osseous presence was more inspiring then the meat-made one she now portrays. Accursed be thy coupling!"

"Excuse me, I must go see her!" I said happily. I tried to go around Yorick, but the skeleton got in my way.

"Do you have any idea what you've allowed, Commander? Ophelia, our beloved princess has turned away from everything she has been taught and believed in. The Everking himself has renounced her!"

"Move Yorick, I wish to see my wife." I growled. I tried moving passed him, but the old sack of bones once again got in my way.

"She has committed sacrilege, Commander! An act against the very Seven! The Undead blame you as much as her for this outcome and personally I can't help but agree. I know all about you aiding her in her venture to save herself from her fate!"

"She was dying Yorick. Now get out of my way. I'll not ask again."

"Then you should have let her die!" Yorick screamed. Their argument started to draw attention now. "You had no business meddling in the affairs of the gods. If death were to be her fate then so be it. Obviously she had done something to earn the ire of the gods otherwise she wouldn't have been bestowed with her affliction. She may have been our princess destined to die, but she was still beloved by her people. Now she is hated and spited for not taking her death in stride. A coward she is for fighting her death. Again, I say, Commander, you should have let her die!"

On instinct my hand shot out and my fingers wrapped around Yorick's throat. My eyes sharpened into slits, my teeth turned sharp as swords, and from my mouth trickles of fire spewed. I was pissed and everyone in the bridge stepped back out of fear.

"That is my wife, you bony bastard!" I roared in his face. "Ophelia, my wife, your queen, is the kindest most wonderful person I have ever met. She has done nothing bad or said anything terrible for the whole time I've know her. You call her a coward for fighting to live? No Yorick! She is the bravest of us all for wanting to live! For fighting tooth and nail for her life."

My draconic wings sprouted out of my back. I aimed my bladed wings at the Undead's throat.

There were many who wanted to intervene, but they remained silent out of petrifying fear. Others were actually hoping that I'd off the walking cadaver. But one thing everyone did in agreement was stay out of my way.

"You say she deserved her fate? That she deserved to die? The only reason I haven't grinded your bones to dust and scatter them over all of Rivellon is because I'm in a good mood today. So be thankful that it is my wife, your queen, that saved your life. Don't thank the Seven, thank Ophelia. And Yorick if I ever hear you insult her again." I got up close to the skeleton's face. "I'll turn you to char!"

I was sure if Yorick was physically capable he would be peeing his cloak right about now. I dropped the Undead and he fell on his bony ass. Every part of him was shaking in fear and his teeth chattered incessantly. I left the jittering skeleton to wallow in terror and quickly made my way to my living quarters.

I went through the doors and found the room empty.

"Ophelia?" I called out.

I heard the sound of feet softly scuffling on the ground past the curtains. And finally . . . she came out.

My eyes grew wide as dinner plates, my mouth hung like a slack jawed fool, and my wings, which I had previously sheathed, shot out of my back. My stupor was justifiable for before my eyes was a woman . . . of true perfection.

Her body was bare to the world for all to see. She wore nothing, but a silken cloth wrapped around her waist that fell to her feet and a silk ribbon wrapped around her left arm. It was as if she was declaring to the world "look at me, look at my beauty." And wasn't ashamed in the least. Her long golden locks fell down like a waterfall framing her beautiful face and even covered her naked breasts. Her ruby red lips shined and looked like they begged to be kissed. And her crystal blue eyes sparkled and held a warmth that was so welcoming.

"Ophelia?" I questioned. I had to make sure what was in front of me was real and not some dream.

She giggled happily. "My world and stars, approach; approach and behold my beauty! See how the directions of my desire took hold and with wondrous words of wizardry were realized! A bride of bone no longer, I stand before you a lady; luscious and lovely, warm and welcoming, awaiting your caress."

She stayed where she was and held out her hand.

I moved forward slowly. When I was in reaching distance I grabbed her hand and felt a warmth that sent pleasant shocks throughout my body. My hands then began to wander over her body. I touched her shoulders, her waist, her tummy. I saved the best parts for later. Her skin was as soft as the fabric she wore.

Ophelia moaned from my simple touch.

"Icaros did it. You . . . you are alive!" I said joyously. My wife was saved!

"Yes indeed, my wonderful Siegfried! Your mother's amulet was enough to pay for Icaros' magic. He left to his far-off home laden with the Jewel of the Heavens. Yet despite the rapture that riches should bring, tears stained his eyes as he looked upon his creation and realized he'd spend it all and more if it would have bought him a single kiss. No, I whispered, I belong to the dragon only."

A part of me felt pity for the man. Though it was my wife he sought after, the man must have been terribly alone and desired some form of love and companionship. But no matter what, he would never get my wife!

Ophelia also grabbed my hands and began to caress them. She slowly became mesmerized in my warmth and began roaming her hands over my arms and body too.

"And what of my kin? Alas, they do not understand. Yorrick brands me a traitor even, but I care not. In seeking salvation, how have I cheated the Seven, how have I deceived the gods? If that is truly how they feel, they are not worthy of my worship. Let the flame of divinity that sparks only when we are alone light the fire of our love. What need have we for gods or men? We, my life and death, we have each other."

Ophelia immersed herself in my touch just as much as I did hers. We both loved the warmth of each other to the point that it became heavy petting.

"Each other . . . yes." I rubbed my thumb over her soft lips.

"Kiss me." She said.

I leaned down and planted my lips on hers. Forget wine or drugs. Forget money or power. These lips . . . intoxication incarnate! She moaned. I moaned. How could we not?! For this simple kiss, this simple sign of affection held more love and passion then any mere touch or voice of word. I wanted more and so did she.

My strong arms wrapped around her waist and brought her closer to my body. I held her firmly to my body, but also gently. She wrapped a thigh around my waist and I used an arm to hold it to me. We never released each other or stopped our kissing. Not for a second. We just wanted to be closer then we already were with each other. So close, that we would feel like one.

Finally, the need of oxygen took us and we reluctantly released each other for air. We panted like dogs. Both our faces flushed with pleasure. Our eyes were clouded with lust and excitement.

"Take me . . . bed . . ." Ophelia panted.

She lip-locked with me again before I could reply, but it was unneeded. We both desired the same thing.

I reached out and grabbed her other thigh. I picked her up by both her legs and carried her toward the bed. She wrapped her arms around me tightly as I carried her. We never stopped our make-out even as we fell onto the bed.

She tore my clothes off piece by piece. Only when she completely stripped me, did I remove her scarce clothing. She lay on her back and I was above her on all fours. We looked at each other's faces. Then our eyes descended down our torsos. She eyed my toned muscles and I looked at her beautiful chest and stomach. Our eyes fell further down and landed on each other's privates. We stared for a good long minute, taking each other in . . . figuratively. Our faces were already flushed, but now we weren't sure if it was out of passion or nervousness.

Surprisingly, Ophelia took the initiative and grabbed ahold of my prick. I winced from the warm contact. She looked at me with concern, afraid that she hurt me. I nodded my head to tell her I was alright. She brought her attention back and began to stroke my hard muscle.

As she stroked me I fondled her exposed breast. She moaned from my touch. Her very skin was supple and soft. I leaned down and kissed her neck. I slowly trailed butterfly kisses down her body until I reached her other breast and sucked on her nipple. She let out a loud moan, but did not stop in her jerking.

After that pleasing reaction I went further and sucked harder. She wrapped her free arm around my neck and held me in place. I used my teeth to tease and bight her flesh. The more I teased her the harder she held me to her bosom.

She stroked me harder and faster and to thank her for that I slowly plunged my fingers into her nethers. And then her eyes, which were shut tight, opened and she let out a loud pleasurable scream. I felt my hands get coated in a wet substance. I looked up from my wife's chest and saw her breathing heavily, her arm covering her blushing face. She had stopped her stroking of my cock as she was a bit preoccupied with the after-glow of her orgasm.

"You came." I told her. I looked at my hand to see the juices she left on it.

"I'm sorry my love. I was unprepared for such a . . . sensation." She still covered her face. She was too embarrassed to look me in the eye.

I smiled and then licked her juices off my hand. Then I gave her a long lick on her nipple which made her shudder. Then I gave her a great deep kiss, which knocked her out of her embarrassed state. I leaned up to look at her. A trail of saliva the only thing connecting our lips. I saw her eyes watering with pleasure and happiness.

"No worries, Ophelia. This is your first time after all. Are you ready to continue? Or do you wish to rest."

She looked at me for a moment before wrapping her legs around my waist.

"My moon and stars, I have waited so long to be together with you like this. The feel of our skin together, the pounding of our hearts in sync, and the physical ability to be one. I have awaited this day and so my king, my husband," She leaned forward. My cock was so close to her core that I could feel the heat radiating from it. She whispered in my ear. "Take me and let us be one."

I smiled broadly. "As you command, my queen."

And in a single thrust I sheathed myself between her folds. Ophelia yelped in pain. She closed her eyes and dug her nails in my back. I did not move an inch. Not until she was ready. Until then I shushed her and whispered comforting words into her ears.

A deep sigh and a slow nod was my cue to move and I did. I rocked my hips against hers. I pulled out just barely keeping the tip in and I quickly pushed it back in with a wet slap. She yelped and tightened her hold on me.

"Siegfried." She breathed huskily. "Siegfried!" She called out my name.

Her arms were wrapped around my neck and her legs around my waist. Her hands dug into my hair as we looked into each other's eyes. We got so lost in each other's eyes that we instinctively engaged in kissing again. Our tongues clashed as we fought for dominance. Our teeth crashed against each other more times than we could count, but we ignored the awkward pain and just continued to wrestle with our mouths.

Ophelia let go and bent her head back. Her tongue stuck out of her mouth as she panted heavily.

"This . . . is so good, my love. I have dreamed of this moment. This pleasure," she stroked my chest, "this fire," she stroked my abs, "this love!" she squeezed her own breast and then kissed me again.

"Ophelia, I'm close." I grunted. The speed of my thrusts increased and I could feel something rise up inside of me.

"I'm cumming, my love. Siegfried, I beg of you," She used her legs to bring me closer to her hips, "don't stop. Complete our love. Let me be the woman that you not only desire but need. Give me the seed to bare you your children."

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and held her tightly. "Ophelia!"

"I love you! I love you! I love you! I love—" I silenced her words with a deep and passionate kiss. "Mmmm-MMM!"

Her walls clamped around my hard member as I buried myself so deep inside her it felt like I had reached all the way to her womb. I sprayed my seed inside her. Her muffled scream reverberated through my body as we kissed. She tugged on my hair as I continued to give her everything I had.

When it was over and I was done releasing myself in her, we let go of each other. We stopped kissing and just dropped. I fell on top of her, but she didn't mind the weight as we bathed in the after-glow of our love making.

When Ophelia had gained back her senses she rubbed my back and whispered sweet nothings in my ear. I slowly pulled out my wet prick and fell on my back beside her. She joined me at my side and laid her head on my chest. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and held her close.

He would always love her no matter if she were a skeleton or mortal, but he would admit, it was nice to have some warmth in the bed.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you too." I said.

Sleep finally took us.

* * *

The next day we awoke in one another's arms, but we did not rise. We just stared up at the ceiling basking in each other's warmth. Ophelia stroked my arms and chest, I stroked her soft shoulder and played with her silky hair.

"How I cherish these stolen moments we are together, away from politics and war. When I rest my head upon your chest, it seems silence finally holds sway upon this racket-ridden ship, and the only melody that dares to intrude upon my soul is that of your heartbeat, constant as our love."

"I too treasure these moments, Ophelia. Whenever I'm with you I do not worry about the terrible war or the asinine politics that has become my every day. To come back to you, to hold you, to kiss, to make love to you and tell you how much you mean to me, gives me all the strength and resolve I need to keep fighting."

"Siegfried. My light in the dark, my moon and sky, my sun and day, my lord and king. No words could ever do justice of how grateful I am to have you as my guide to salvation. Your words gave me strength and courage when I most needed it. You led me away from straying paths and saved my soul. And in the time I most needed you, you were there to help and honor me." A single tear fell from her eye. "I am alive thanks to you."

I wiped away the tear and rubbed her cheek with my thumb. "Undead or mortal Ophelia, I would love you no matter what."

"I know, Siegfried." She sat up and straddled my waist. "I'm just happy to be alive now. In your arms and madly in love with you. As an Undead we never had to worry about the future, but now that I am alive, I am excited to see what awaits us."

We made love one more time before the reality of the world would drag us away from each other.

* * *

The war was won and peace was brought to Rivellon. All the races rejoiced as war came to an end and their new king was finally crowned. King Siegfried Dracohart ruled with a kind and strong heart. And at his side a beautiful and kind queen. Ophelia Dracohart would come to be known as the "Radiant Queen" for her beauty and compassion shined as bright as the sun itself.

* * *

 **Up Next: Aida**


	4. Mending Heart

**Warning: lemon in this chapter!**

* * *

Red hair that was just as fiery as her personality. Strong eyes behind a pair of sharp sexy glasses. A bosom and hindquarters that looked both firm and soft that it would be worth death itself to cop a feel. The dwarven Princess Aida, was the whole package, but that package came with a lot of baggage as well.

I chose Aida because she was a free spirit and passionate woman. But also because her hatred of her father . . . saddened me. I lost both my parents and while I was closer to my mother then my father or half-siblings it still brought me heartache to think they are gone and that I was fighting the latter. And I wanted to mend that tear in her life and heart even if it meant stepping into bounds I shouldn't.

* * *

I entered my quarters where I found my new wife eyeing the entire interior. No doubt she wanted to make some changes to the bland room and I hoped to the Seven she would, the room could use a nice touch up.

Aida turned her head when I entered through the doors a sexy smirk graced her lips when she caught sight of me. I took in her appearance as well and couldn't help but admire her attire. Leather boots and fishnets wrapped around her shapely legs. A leather skirt adorned with a golden pocket watch with her family emblem on it. A white dress shirt and a brown corset that, even together, couldn't hold back her great breasts that threatened to emerge and pop another button. Her red hair was tied in a single braid and a pair of sharp glasses sat on the bridge of her nose.

"Pretty chamber, I've been given, my tasty thistle." Aida spoke up. "Doesn't look quiet as sturdy as dwarven masonry, but it'll do!"

I smirked. "Don't you worry about a thing, my dear. It may not look it, but this is one of the most fortified spots on all of the Raven. Nothing short of an entire army hitting the exact same spot could even crack this place. And even then, the position of this room is actually quite hard to hit, especially when the Raven is moving."

Aida quirked an eyebrow and slowly, but surely she smiled. "Quite knowledgeable of your own ship I see." She said with an impressed tone.

"But of course. This is my home at the moment and also my command center for the war. I have to know the ins and outs of this place. Its strengths and weaknesses. There isn't anything I don't know about the Raven!"

Well, all except the heart of the Raven, which Maxos refused to let him into yet.

"Good to know you're a thorough man." She eyed me up and down before licking her lips. "That could come in handy later."

She walked around the room and gave it another consideration. "At least I now know this room is well protected. Like I said the room's great, but the decorations could use some work. Where are the gemstones? The statues carved from hard rock? An elf might feel at home here as it is, and that's saying something."

"I'm sure you'll find something to add character to the room, Aida. Seven knows that I won't have the time to, so decorate to your leisure." I offered her.

"Thank you, my King. Honestly though, anything that's so many miles away from the presence of my father will do in fact." She scoffed.

"You actually made mention of your father during our interview." I said.

"King Thelor . . . Rat Bastard!" She seethed. "He's treated his only daughter like dirt all his life! Was it my fault that mother died giving birth to me? Was it my fault that I wasn't born with boys' bits between my legs?"

She continued to rant as she paced back and forth in the room. Letting out all the steam she's built up over the years.

While my face remained neutral as I listened, inside I felt sadness and pity. She's had it quite rough her whole life. A father that hated her for things she had no control of. Honestly, the two of us had one thing in common: we both had issues with family.

As she stared out the window I placed my hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me and I smiled down at her. I was reassuring her that she had someone to care and look out for her. Oh she could take care of herself, I had no doubts about that, but it was always good to have a friend by your side. And in this case, she had a husband looking out for her.

She smiled up at me and took a deep sigh, calming down somewhat.

"Ah to hell with him! I'm here now, a blushing bride about to start her life anew! You got any rye around here? Fat old Falstaff swears by his beer, but I like a shot of something stronger now and again! Or maybe you, my dragon, can be my strong shot this jolly day!"

I smiled knowingly and walked over to the globe liquor cabinet. I pulled out a bottle of whiskey. The cork of the bottle was in the shape of a dragon head, the color of the bottle was bright red, with the logo being in the image of a fire.

"This was a gift from Falstaff when he first arrived. "Dragon Fire" a very rare vintage of whiskey." I pulled out a couple of glass cups. I poured the alcohol into the cups and offered one to Aida. "Will this do?"

Aida smiled and eagerly grabbed the glass. "Aye, it'll do great, my Darling Dragon." We sat at the table and just enjoyed the drink. We'd talk about this and that. Things we did as kids, sites we've seen, and funny stories we experienced. It was nice. Though when I brought up stories that involved my mother, Aida developed a look of sadness and jealousy.

"Your mother sounds like she was a great woman." Aida said. Her cheeks were flushed with drink and her eyes were glossy.

Dwarves had a naturally high tolerance to alcohol, so it took a lot to get them drunk. However, Dragon Fire was stronger than most drinks and no doubt could kill someone not able to handle even simple beer. Even someone like me with a draconic metabolism had a hard time holding this liquor, but it was thanks to the metabolism that I was only slightly drunk.

Aida swirled her drink a few times before downing it in one gulp.

"Wish I got to know my mother. Instead I'm stuck with my shite bastard father."

"I'm sure your mother was a wonderful, strong, woman. Cause I can tell her daughter is."

She chuckled. "Gods you sound like a bleedin' lovey-dovey elf."

"Doesn't mean I'm wrong."

She smiled at me. I raised my glass. "To mothers."

Aida smirked and raised her glass as well. "To mothers."

We drank the rest of the whiskey in a single gulp.

Aida wiped her mouth and then got off her chair and walked around the table to me. She then got on top of me and straddled me.

"Hey, Siegfried." Her hot breath was laced with the scent of whiskey. "I'm done drinking." She slurred.

I looked at her then I looked outside. It was night and getting pretty late.

"Then perhaps we should go to bed then?" I asked.

"That sounds alright, but I was thinking . . ." She leered at me and brought her face closer to mine. "I'm kinda hungry after that stiff drink." She grabbed my crotch. It was so unexpected that I jumped a little, but I quickly relaxed.

"Now I'd like to something else that's stiff." She purred. Then she kissed me. I returned her passionate kiss and soon our tongues became intertwined.

She tasted like the whiskey we drank and cherries. I was quickly becoming intoxicated in more than one way.

I picked her up by her legs and carried her to the bed. I dropped her on the bed and examined her. Her body was flush and red. She was sweating as I saw droplets of perspiration drip down her cleavage as she breathed heavily.

"Damn blouse. Can hardly breathe in this thing." She said. In one easy tug she ripped off her blouse and corset. The buttons went shooting out like pistols. Now she was just in her skirt and boots.

I couldn't help but stare. How could I not!? Without her restrictive clothing she was even larger! She had the biggest breasts I've ever seen! She had to be at least an E-Cup. Her breasts bounced from just her breathing and her nipples were erect. All I wanted to do was grab and squeeze them.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Aida said impatiently. "Get over here and let me feel the burning sensation of a dragon in heat!"

I needed no encouragement to do the next thing. I buried my face in her chest. I kissed and suckled her supple flesh like a new-born babe. I bit down on her nipples which elicited many pleasurable moans from my new wife. I fondled and squeezed her breasts. My large hands just sunk right into her.

"More . . ." Aida breathed. "More! So GOOD!" She yelled out ecstatically. She wrapped her arms around my head and sunk me deeper into her soft bountiful bosom.

I continued my ministrations on her chest for several minutes before I pulled away. She tried to pull me back and glared at me when I stopped pleasuring her, but I just smiled coyly at her.

"Relax love." I told her. "I don't mind burying my face in you, but let's try a different part." I reached for her skirt, but she placed her boot on my chest.

"I don't think so my spicy hotshot. I'm laid bear to ya, so I think it's time I see some of you." She smiled wickedly.

I smiled back.

I got off the bed and removed my outfit, making me topless. Aida stared at me like candy. Her eyes roamed my toned chest and abs; she looked disappointed when she saw my lower regions were covered. Still she was looking at me like I was a beautiful statue made of succulent meat and I could tell she was ready to devour me.

I then grabbed a hold of her skirt and pulled it off. I slowly removed her boots in a sexy manner and then all that was left covering her was her undergarments. I removed these and got an answer to an unspoken question I had. The answer: the carpet does match the drapes.

Without even hesitating I dived into the throbbing wet folds that were below the carpet. Aida made an 'o' face and moaned loud enough for the Seven to hear. She gripped and tore the soft fabric underneath her. She grit her teeth and grunted as I licked between her folds

I grabbed her legs, which wrapped strongly around my neck. I caressed her soft and toned legs. My hands roamed over her knees, her ankles, and her thighs.

"Fuck! Oh gods yes! I'm close Siegfried. I'm cumming. I'm gonna cum!"

Her legs brought me closer to her center, burying my tongue deeper into her pussy. It felt like her legs were going to snap my neck. I felt like I was suffocating, but I pushed through and gave her exactly what she wanted. For the finale I bit down and sucked on her clit.

Her toes curled and her back arched as she finally _exploded_! My mouth was invaded by a sweet and tangy juice and I lapped up all that she could give.

"Ffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa . . . . ha ha ha ha." Aida panted as she came down from her high. She loosened her legs enough for me to get out of her vice grip.

I licked my lips savoring her flavors.

"You taste good, Aida." I told her.

She giggled. "Because you make me feel GOOD." She looked at my hard member and reached out to grab it. "Enough foreplay. I said I wanted something stiff and now" She tugged on me roughly and brought me closer to her wet and hot hole, "you're gonna give me something stiff."

She brought me to her entrance and took me in. We both grunted from pleasure and I instantly found myself slamming against her. I rocked my hips against hers making wet slaps with each thrust. Aida moaned louder as she used her legs to wrap around my waste and bring me closer to her with each thrust. She used her arms as support and pushed herself against me to bring me deeper into her.

I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a bit of awkwardness. Aida was greatly shorter then me and so, in bed lying down, her head only reached my chest. I couldn't easily kiss her or see her pleasure filled face, but we'd make this work.

She buried her face in MY chest this time. Biting my muscles and licking my nipples. I felt good. I grabbed her hair and gripped it, while the whole time we never stopped rutting each other.

Then she suddenly stopped and I looked down at her. Using her amazing strength she pushed me to the side knocking me onto my back. Without us even leaving each other, she straddled me. She eyed me with a sexy look and a playful smile.

Aida then removed her glasses and undid her braid. She shook her head, letting her hair flow out. Her brown eyes landed on me sparkled with lust. He lips turned into a playful smile. I couldn't help but become more aroused.

"Oh! Did I just feel you get bigger?" She teased.

"Can you blame me?" I asked her.

"Of course not, my little buttercup, I'm on top this time. To have a fiery dwarf like me in your bed domineering you would put any straight male into instant heat. Now enough talk and fuck me!"

She rocked against me hard and fast. Her insides just rubbing my dick up and down driving me wild. I quickly found an upside to her being on top.

I shot my hands out and latched onto her tits. I squeezed and rubbed them hard, teasing her rock hard nipples with the tips of my fingers. I then reached out and grabbed her hips. Every time she went up I went down, then I'd use my hands to grip her wide hips and bring her down fast as I shot my hips up, going even deeper then imaginable.

"I think you hit my womb!" She cried out. He head bent back from ecstasy.

I could feel myself building up to the end and her walls were clamping down on me as we continued to move. We were almost there.

"Aida!"

"Siegfried!"

We increased our pace faster and faster and then. Euphoria washed all over us. I shot my seed straight into her and she looked straight up at the ceiling with her gob wide open. We rode our orgasm out by bucking our hips together a few more times before we were finally spent.

Aida fell on my chest, her head rose as I breathed. I wrapped my arms around her and stroked several strands of her hair.

"Tha-that was great." She mumbled. Then I heard her snore.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little. Too much alcohol and sex. Any dwarf would tell you there was no such thing.

I let her lie on top of me and brought the blankets over us. I closed my eyes and just embraced her and her warmth.

"Sleep tight, my Dwarven Princess."

* * *

I was in a pretty great mood for the last few days. I've been out in the field mostly and rarely on the Raven, but still in a terrific mood! Nobody really knew why I was, except Scarlet and Falstaff. Scarlet could always tell when someone had a good night and Falstaff recognized the work of a dwarven woman.

What could I say? Sex with a spitfire like Aida was heaven on earth! And even she was appreciative of my company considering she was quite skippy on the Raven for the last few days too. I've only ever seen her a few times, but the times we saw each other we couldn't stop smiling.

I headed straight to my quarters to get a little rest, but when I entered through the doors I thought I had gone into the wrong room. It took my brain a moment to process that it was my room . . . just greatly redecorated.

The bed had been moved to the corner of the room. Replacing the satin sheets was animal skins of great and powerful beasts. The place where the bed used be . . . was now replaced with a HUGE Bar. With barrels of ale and a shelf of many, MANY alcohols. Alcohols so rare a dwarf would shave off his beard and sell his left testical for even a sip of just one. It even had its own skeleton bartender. A bear skin rug was thrown onto the floor and there were a few stone statues of dwarven warrior. The table that was right by the window was moved to the side and replaced with a small throne chair. A fancy dwarven scale sat next to it. Gold and gemstones littered the floor and were spilling out of chests that were layed by the window.

Aida herself was standing by the window examining the work she no doubt did.

"Come to visit your wee wife, my sugar plum?"

"Yeah . . ." I said a bit distracted from the overall makeover of our room.

"You like what I've done with the place. Much cozier now than when I first arrived, no?"

"There's a bar in our room." I said neutrally.

"Of course! Like hell I was gonna walk all the way down to the bar just to get a drink. This way I can continue working and still get a drink in peace without gawkers hounding me."

I motioned to the Undead Barmaid.

"Ah, she's the sister of the one who works down in the Raven's bar. I told her I pay more then what her sister makes and all she's got to do is serve me during the day."

I simply nodded. That was all I could do.

"Anyway, my delicious lamb chop, I have a favor to ask ye?"

"Name it."

"My father the King—curse his crown—is going to raise taxes again in that misbegotten part of Rivellon under his rule. Of course you know the cur's as liked as a flatulent jester, even by his own nobles, so they begged me to beg you to countermand his tax raise. 'Twould humiliate him publically and weaken his position as king (so they say). 'Fair enough.' I reply. Music to my ears really. So how about it?"

I gave it some thought. It sounded easy enough and I did some digging and King Thelor was quite the bastard even to his own people. Tax rises were not unheard of in his kingdom.

"Well it wouldn't be proper for me to deny my queen's first request, wouldn't it? Consider that tax raise nullified."

"Mighty fine of you my rumpy-diddle! That'll bring the old bugger down a peg or two." She said happily. "Those beggarly barons are lucky I'm on their side, for I'd normally piss on cowards their like! Come I'll buy ya a drink."

"You have to pay for your own drinks?" I asked incredulously.

"Not really." She flipped a gold coin onto the counter which the barmaid took and brought out a couple mugs of ale. "It's more just out of habit. The money still comes back to me." She took a quick drink of her mug and sighed refreshingly. "it makes it feel like an actual experience in a bar." She smiled happily, her cheeks becoming rosy from the drink.

I laughed and drank the ale.

She started telling me all about what she's been doing for the past few days. Creating alliances and making allies to build up her own status. I had to admit I was quite impressed.

"Hey have ya ever seen someone crack walnuts with their bare hands?" She asked.

I shook my head no. We both were on our fifth ale. We both were a bit tipsy right now.

Aida reached into a snack bowl that sat on the counter. It was filled with walnuts. She showed her balled hand to me and smirked slyly. Then I heard a huge "CRACK" come from her hand she hovered her hand over the counter and dropped the shattered bits of the walnut.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed. I couldn't do that even, at least in my human form.

"Used to win toughs at taverns for doing that. People thought I'd be lying before I proved them wrong. It won me drinks, but not any boys." She said solemnly.

'Considering she can crack nuts with her bare hands I can see why any man would be a bit deterred by that.' I thought.

She looked down at her drink and then looked at me. I could tell she was thinking of unpleasant memories.

"Tell me . . ." she said quietly, "do I freak you out sometimes?"

I raised an eyebrow at that. I then realized that she had many more drinks then me and was probably very drunk.

"Do ya wish ya had a wife that was giggly and girly like one of those namby-pamby elves?" She glared at me over her glasses.

Yep, she's drunk. No way would Aida ever ask a question like that if she were sober.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just answer the damn question!" She shouted slamming her mug on the counter.

I chuckled. And that seemed to make her angrier. So to ease her worries, I set aside my mug and placed my hand on her cheek. She recoiled a bit from my touch. I could tell she was not used to gentle touches on her face.

"Why would I ever want any other wife, when I already have a tough, sexy, fiery, amazing, dwarven woman right in front of me?"

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Aida, I chose you because I felt you needed someone in your life to love you. I know you signed up for this marriage to get away from your father, but I also believed you did it to—and I apologize for sounding corny—to find love and compassion. And Aida, I will give you all the love and support you need."

I don't think she realized it, but a tear streamed down her cheek. She grabbed my hand and snuggled her cheek into it.

Then she chuckled.

"Yeah, that does sound corny . . . but I appreciate it."

Unexpectedly, she then lunged at me and gave me a great strong hug. A pleasant smile graced her beautiful face. I, of course, hugged her back. Without leaving the hug, she reached into her pocket and tossed some coins onto the counter.

"Wilma, take the rest of the day off. Get out!"

Wordlessly, the Undead Barmaid took the money and quickly exited the room.

I picked up my wife and carried her over to the bed. There we spent the rest of the day making love and hammering each other into the bed.

* * *

I had come back to my quarters after an "important" meeting with my councilors. Important to them mostly, Falstaff wanted to own the rights to some bubbly drink the imps had, the elves were complaining about pesticides, and Prospera, of all people, was complaining about public breast-feeding.

I rubbed my head in pain and annoyance. I sat down at the bar where Aida was reading the Rivellon times. Wilma had set a cup of coffee and a plate of eggs and bacon for me. The usual of when I come back from another annoying meeting with my councilors.

"Thanks Wilma."

"Of course your majesty." She said softly.

Aida finally looked away from the paper with a scowl.

"I must hand it to the decrepit devil: he does have guts. Be they as rotten as Yorrick's flesh!" She said spitefully.

"What is it?"

"'Tis my father I'm talking of. He organized a tax increase, despite your very own draconic veto—and that is far from all. The mongrel has told anyone willing to listen it was I that put you up to it, forced you to meddle in dwarven affairs. Went on and on about how the good relations between you and him were jeopardized by a queen unworthy of her title! Wretched greybeard! How dare he?" Aida outraged.

She looked me square in the eyes.

"But you'll set the record straight won't you? Aye, and him too—afore every dwarf in the realm thinks an abstinent elf would make a better queen then me!"

Sometimes it amazed me how shitty my days could get. Here I was hoping to enjoy a nice breakfast with my wife and now I have to help her settle her familial problems.

I sighed and drank some of my coffee, all the while thinking about what to say.

I could understand her outrage and it was most definitely justified. However, it being her father is what made this a difficult decision. Were it anyone else, yeah I'd retaliate in her honor, but I couldn't here. The man, King Thelor, once had heart for his wife and his people, that was not something just easily tossed. I truly believed somewhere deep inside the man cared for his daughter, even slightly. Aida just needed to have two things to reconcile with her father, patience and forgiveness, which was going to be challenging considering dwarves were the epitome of stubbornness. True believers in the saying 'eye for an eye.'

"I understand you're upset Aida, but I'd loathe increasing the tension between you and your father even further. Don't let this get to you. He's your father, the only family you have left in the world. Isn't that worth something?"

That was apparently the wrong answer and Aida stared at me like she was throwing daggers with her eyes. With an upset and disappointed undertone, she spoke.

"Listen, my cuddly squirrel, if I was in the mood for something soppy I'd be dining with the pigs. But I see your going to go the goody-two-shoes route, so I guess I'll just have to grit my teeth and bear it!"

She crumpled up the paper and tossed it onto the ground where she then stomped on it with her boot. She had a look of betrayal on her face.

"So when you say 'no' and my dad says 'stuff it' you show about as much spine as a skipping rope! I expected more from a bleedin' dragon to be frank!" She said spitefully.

She then stormed off to do who-knows-what. Probably count her gold.

I sighed in exasperation and exhaustion.

"More coffee, your majesty?" Wilma asked.

"Thanks Wilma, I'm going to need it."

"If I may be so bold, your majesty, denying your wife, a queen no less, is never a good idea. Especially when said wife is a dwarf."

I couldn't help, but laugh.

"Yeah . . . you're not wrong there, Wilma."

One thing was for sure, I was not getting some tonight. Hells, I probably won't be sleeping in my own bed tonight!

* * *

 **Did you know that Aida has tattoos? They're barely noticeable but she's got one on her chest and behind her right forearm. Also, since I'm getting closer to Camilla's story arc, I was hoping someone could help me describe her clothing. I just really don't know how to describe her attire.**


	5. Sweet Reconciliation

**A shout out to johsmalle and Jago-Dakari! Thanks for giving this story it's very first reviews! I truly do appreciate it! You guys made me want to finish this chapter, so thanks very much for that! You're awesome!**

* * *

It's been a rough couple of days. Aida was still in a somewhat foul mood after I refused to fight back against her father. She had kicked me out of the bed. Literally, she would kick me out of the bed every night and morning, just to spite me. I didn't hold it against her as she really had a right to be angry, but I was getting so sick of sleeping on the couch. She also rarely talked to me, preferring to just glare or huff. The times she did talk to me was terse and rude.

I sighed in exhaustion. How much longer would I have my own wife give me the cold shoulder? As I entered my quarters, I got my answer in the form of a flying axe imbedding in the wall a few inches from my head.

"May be a little while longer." I mumbled tiredly.

"By Barlan Big-Brief's nethers," she yelled, "the next time I ask a boon of you, you had bloody well better scurry like a scullery maid—or else! 'Pay no heed to your father's jeers.' 'Don't stop to his level.' Well he has stooped for the both of us!"

I pulled out the axe and walked over to Aida.

"I believe you dropped this." I offered her axe back calmly.

She swiped the axe from me and then shoved a letter into my hands. I looked at the contents of the letter and saw the seal for the Dwarven Royal Family on it.

"Here, read this letter. 'Tis addressed to you, but has been printed in that rag, The Rivellon Times, as well. That slithery snail oh-so-profusely apologizes for having saddled you with such a sorry excuse for a wife that he wouldn't blame you if you threw me off the ship . . . and married an elf instead!"

I cringed. Oh man, that was a really hard hit to Aida and her pride.

"The indignation I must suffer! I couldn't be more mortified if you turned out to be a fairy-fancying cross-dresser! This time we must strike back!"

I really felt for her on this I really did. Were it anyone else, I definitely would have retaliated for her, but I still felt like I could salvage her relationship with her father. One of them just had to have a calm mind and reason about it. And since neither one wanted to step up, I'd be the one to be the voice of reason. I just dread the coming days of her anger.

"Actually I wouldn't dignify this pathetic attack with a response. Don't let your anger blind you now, after you've let his other insults slide so gracefully. You are his only family left and sooner or later he's gonna remember that."

She slammed her axe into the wooden table. I may have made a mistake on giving her back the axe.

"This is madness! Once more you would count my honor cheaper than a sailor's last resort in some back alley whorehouse! He'll sit there, my fiend of a father, sniggering as he thinks of my sullied reputation, whereas I have nothing, but paltry sentiments of courtliness for comfort. If that's to be the case, give me my whiskey instead!"

Aida left her axe buried in the table and walked over to the bar where Wilma, the barmaid, placed a bottle of scotch that was mostly reserved for Aida when she was angry. Which lately she was a lot of.

Aida sat at the bar and drank from the bottle. Her head placed on her palm and an almost permanent scowl plastered on her face.

"Chivalry be damned." She huffed. "No more than a set of rules to keep your rivals under your thumb. It may not be chivalrous to be malicious once in a while, but at least it gets you results."

I sighed and decided to leave. Aida was in no mood to talk right now and I didn't want her drunken angry self to get even more irritated and go for her axe again.

I headed down to the bar to get a drink. Since the one in my room has my angry dwarven wife occupying it. Henry and Scarlet saw my dower mood and thought to try and cheer me up. I appreciated their concern, but told them all I needed was a drink and some alone time to think.

After ordering another drink from the barmaid I heard someone sit in the seat next to me.

It was Falstaff, my dwarven councilor. I was in no mood for dealing with one of my councilors problems. While I was glad it wasn't Oberon, or Seven forbid, Yorrick, I still didn't want to listen to any of my councilors whining.

"What do you want, Falstaff." I groaned.

The old dwarf actually smiled knowingly at me.

"Ah, I know that look. Been kicked out of the bed and forced to take shelter on the couch or floor have ye?" He chuckled.

My eyes shot opened and I stared at my dwarven councilor.

"How do you . . .?"

Falstaff waved his hand at me to tell me I need not finish. "I'm a dwarf Commander. A married dwarf. Believe me, I know the eyes of a man whose been kicked out of the sack by his wife. Take it from someone who's been there more than once."

I stared at the councilor in bewilderment and then I laughed.

"I guess you would know a thing or two about angry wives!"

Falstaff laughed alongside me. "Aye, I do! But what makes our wives more troublesome and dangerous then the other five races, is that our wives are dwarves."

To that we both laughed together. Falstaff ordered a pint of ale for the both of us after we calmed down a little.

"So tell me, Commander. What troubles ye?"

Normally, I wouldn't even think of mixing my councilors with my personal life, just no, but perhaps a dwarf who knows what I'm going through could help ease my conscious. So, after a couple of drinks, I tell Falstaff of what's been happening between me and Aida. The politician just remained quiet. Listening to me intently, while every now and then taking drinks from his pint.

When I finished, the old dwarf spoke up.

"Ah, I see your problem. You know I don't much care for that bastard either, right?" Falstaff asked, raising a bushy white eyebrow.

"Yeah, I think you made that clear a few times." I drawled. No one liked King Thelor

"Good. As long as that's clear." He took another drink. "I have to admit, Commander, I'm impressed you've stuck to your guns. We dwarves are stubborn folk, but there are three things we dwarves care about the most: drink, money, and family."

"King Thelor was always a stingy and stubborn bastard, but he cared for his wife. The day she died and gave birth to Princess Aida was the day things went downhill. Believe me, no one cared for the abuse he gave her, but no one was brave enough to stand up for her."

I remained silent. I just listened to see what advice my dwarven councilor could give me.

"So while I can appreciate you trying to mend their bond, I'm afraid to tell you that it's a serious gamble. And one you're likely to lose. King Thelor is not known for his leniency."

I had a dejected look. "So you really think it's hopeless? That I'm just wasting my time and pissing my wife off for nothing?"

The old dwarf hummed thoughtfully. "Now I wouldn't say that. Thelor was a family man as I said before. To win this gamble, my Emperor, you're going to need an opportunity."

"An opportunity for what?" I questioned.

"I don't know." Falstaff shrugged. "Just something to work in your favor. You're more patient then any dwarf, Commander. You may have to play the waiting game on this one."

I sighed tiredly and banged my head on the counter. "Who knows how long that'll take? If it ever does show up. I don't want Aida, my wife, your future queen, to be angry for the next several years."

Falstaff chuckled. "Like I said Commander, it's a gamble, but even with the lowest odds you can still win." He rubbed his chin as he eyed me. "I don't really know if you'll succeed, but I'll tell you this. If you can mend the bonds of family between the princess and the king, then you have my support. No strings attached. I swear to you on my soul, family, and money."

I raised an eyebrow. Why would Falstaff bet on me like that? Falstaff saw my confusion and answered.

"If anyone can win an impossible bet, Commander, it's you. After all you are our future Emperor and what you've done already is as impossible as they come."

I barked with laughter. My mood had done a complete 180 after talking with Falstaff. Surprisingly. While I still wouldn't trust this man in the court, I took what he told me to heart. Falstaff may have been a politician, but he was also a family man and knew what he was talking about on such matters.

It wouldn't affect my decision making in the court, but it certainly won the dwarf my favor at least. I had gained a new respect for the dwarves and all because of Falstaff. If the other councilors knew, they'd flip their collective lids.

I smiled devilishly at that. It almost made me want to let loose a rumor just to see that happen.

* * *

I cracked my back as I returned from directing my army. For the past four days I've been sleeping on the couch, since my wife was still upset at me for not supporting her. Her angry mood was even starting to affect me and combine that with my bad back from bad sleeping, I was a right foul mess.

I had actually snapped a few times at my generals and councilors. I had threatened roast my councilors and blow my generals away with the gale force of my wings. Obviously this put them in line fast, but made everyone tread lightly around me.

Good news was I had an an outlet in the form of my half-siblings armies. You have no idea how therapeutic it is to roast people alive with your own fire breath or demolish a fortress with your bare hands. We were so close to the end of the war, I could practically taste victory.

I rubbed my eyes in annoyance and exhaustion. I just wanted things to go back to normal with me and Aida, but unless a miracle were to happen with her father, nothing would change for me.

I walked into my room and saw Aida smiling. I did a double take just to make sure I was seeing right. It had been a long while since I saw her smile. She appeared to be reading a letter. She saw me enter and kept smiling even as she approached me.

"You'll never believe it, my rum tum tugger! But it seems pox-be-upon-him Papa has had a curious change of heart." She showed off the letter in her hand. "Once more we have had the pleasure of receiving a letter from his arthritis-ridden hand, only this time 'tis not to spout more venom then a drunken snake, but, and I quote, 'to let flow the bad blood between us and to reconcile in a warm bosom of friendship.' Ha! What a load of bull's bollocks!"

My interest was piqued. Those words were completely different from the venomous statements of the old king.

"Now for the grand finale. Listen to this: 'I have fallen gravely ill, my darling daughter, and therefore beseech thee to let flow your good blood as well, for unless it passes from your veins to mine, my doctors assure me, my last days are upon us.' Ha! Bad blood, good blood: talk about contrived imagery. The nerve of the man! Darling daughter indeed! Whatever illness has taken hold of him, let it fester! Good riddance!"

The Gods are rewarding me for my patience! This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. This letter was a drastic change from his previous ones. So much so, that I believed that King Thelor really did want to reconcile with Aida. Now all I had to do was convince my wife to accept.

"Aida, if there was ever a time to rise to the occasion it would be now." I said with conviction. "This is a chance. A chance to show your father, an abuser of yours for years, that you are still a kind and loving daughter, despite all he's done. That even after all these years of horrible treatment that you are the better person then he is or could ever hope to be. Heal him, Aida and he will realize his faults."

Aida actually stepped back in surprise of my words and the strength behind them. What she just saw was the tone I use for my troops and councilors. The voice of a Commander. A Leader. With the strength of a dragon behind it!

Aida looked down in thought. She didn't instantly shoot me down and that, to me, was progress. That hesitation proved that, somewhere deep down, she wanted her father to love her.

"What if he doesn't?" She said quietly under her breath. I almost didn't hear her. "What if he spits in my face again like always and nothing changes?"

I narrowed my eyes a little. It was indeed a gamble, as Falstaff said. This could still very likely be King Thelor just using his daughter to save his own skin. But was it not worth seeing if I could mend a relationship that no one else believed to be salvageable? Even the two recipients of the said relationship?

"Then at least you can say you tried." I said. "At least you will have shown your people that you cared about your father enough to save him, even if he didn't deserve it. And that you, unlike him, are capable of compassion."

She looked up at me and stared deeply into my eyes. After a moment, she snorted in laughter. She brushed her red hair back as she looked at me.

"Lords above, if they polish your armor any brighter I'll have to squint every time I look at you! But I know you make sense, confound it. Now that I have the chance to show the world I'm the bigger dwarf, I should take it. But I'll need a stiff drink first. I can tell you that."

She walked over to the bar and told Wilma to give her a bottle of rum. Wilma, now more attuned with her mistress' moods, reached up to the highest shelf and pulled out a wide brown bottle. It was a type of rum labeled "Captain Nagrom."

I walked up behind my wife. "So you'll go?" I asked eagerly.

She took a swig from the bottle and rubbed her temple. It was hard to tell if the drink was giving her a headache or the thought of saving her father's life was.

"I'll leave for home in the morning. Just because I'm going to save my father's miserable life doesn't mean I can't let him suffer a good long spell first."

I'd take what I could get! To me this was a victory. And victory tasted sweet.

* * *

I was going through some documents my councilors wanted me to go over and sign. Boring stuff like, building churches for the Undead, weapons rights for Dwarves in certain villages, and even permissions for the Imps to build certain machines that could prove disastrous or helpful.

It was tedious work, but at least I didn't have to hear my councilors complain as I did it, so that was a major plus. I stared up from my paperwork and saw my dwarven wife walk through. I hadn't seen her for a few days since she left for home. I got my bed back, but I missed the warm body that slept next to me.

She approached me with a serious look on her face.

"There: I have done what you asked, my jack-in-the-box. I assisted the doctors in healing my father. He'll never be quite the same, but he'll live. All the same, the old sod may have cheated death—for now—but vultures circle his throne nevertheless. His closest friends, the nobles of the land, were rooting for his demise and they smell blood still."

That didn't surprise me. Thelor is very well hated among his people. In fact I'm surprised no one tried to poison or assassinate the king in his weakened state just to make sure he'd kick the bucket. I guess they weren't counting on Aida to save him, of all people.

"Several of the worms approached me and suggested I should make use of his weakened state to ship him off to some remote estate somewhere and claim the throne for myself. Though I'm about as willing to please those split-tongued simpletons as I'm willing to get it on with a randy porcupine, I'm actually contemplating the idea."

I was worried now. I had to convince Aida that this was not the way to get the throne and crown. But this was more than that. Aida showed her father that she was still a loving daughter and now there was a good chance he'd try to change his ways to be a good father.

I looked at my wife seriously in the eyes. "Don't give into the temptation, Aida! You've come so far with your father and you'd be willing to throw it away just to steal his throne from under him? To hell with those nobles! You saved his life! He'll come around, trust me. You'll be reunited!"

I couldn't help my enthusiasm. I just wanted Aida to be happy and I knew that mending the bond between her and her estranged father would be just what she needed.

Once again Aida was blown away by the conviction of my words. She reeled back and gave it some real thought. I had never seen her struggle so much. And this was a woman who could crack walnuts with her bare hands and drink the roughest of rums.

She sighed. "He did . . . thank me (the most uncomfortable moment of my life, by the way)" She hid her face behind her hand as she remembered that embarrassing part, "and to stand by him in his hour of need will endear me in the hearts of all dwarves . . . something I might benefit from in the long run."

She smirked at me and nodded approvingly. "We'll be reunited . . . O my silly drop of honeydew, you sound like an elf's ballad." She mocked me in that rough accent of hers.

I couldn't help but laugh. I did sound super elfy, but I just couldn't hide my giddiness. I could actually reunite them together, after all these years. Everyone would tell me it was impossible, but I made the impossible possible!

I walked over to the bar and around counter to pull out a bottle of wine.

"A little early to celebrate, my cuddly kitten, don't you think?"

"Let's just say that's how confident I am in things turning out." I said as I popped the cork open and poured us a drink. Once filled I handed her her glass and then took mine.

She stared at me with her big brown eyes. Her lips turned up into a sexy smile. "I have to say, I like a man with confidence."

I smirked back at her. "Here's to reunions and reconciliations." I raised my glass to toast.

Aida raised her glass. "Here's hoping my father's truly grateful for what I did. If not, I'll bash his face with a flail!"

I gave that some thought. If the king truly was not thankful and did not feel remorse for what he's done to Aida all his life—well, even a dragon can have so much patience.

"My lady, if that truly is the case. I'll hold him while you wind up the shot."

We both clanked our glasses to that and took a drink together.

* * *

Aida had let me back in the bed after that day. She was even eager to have sex. Saying she "missed having the flames of her dragon emperor ravaging her on cold nights." And I was eager to have my buxom, spitfire of a wife to keep me warm at night. So a win-win all around.

Several days later, a letter came addressed to Aida from her father personally. The letter was brief, but not in an offensive way. More like the king could just not find the proper words to use in the letter. He asked for Aida to return home as soon as possible.

At first my wife was hesitant to go, but with barley even a push from me she went anyway. That was several days now and the war was nearly won. Soon my last sibling would fall and the lands would be at peace again.

Despite this, I was a bit down. Aida seemed to be reconciling with her family, but for my family, it was ruined beyond repair. All because of that demon, Corvus. That avian abomination, being used as the Raven's power source, was the cause of my mother's death, my father's downfall, my half-sibling's madness, and all the death and destruction of the land.

It took all my willpower and the words of Maxos to not slaughter the demon there and then.

My thoughts were disturbed when my room's doors opened. It was Aida. She had returned and for a moment she seemed like a different person. She had the happiest look on her face and there was a skip to her step, like she was on cloud 9.

"I have to hand it to you, my curly kitten, you've done me a marvel! I thought a reconciliation between me and my father would be as likely as spotting a sober dwarf on St. Ryequaffer's Day, but gods darn it, 'thas happened!"

Her tone and mood were a mix of astonishment and joy.

"He recognized the depth of my hatred for him, despite of which I came to his rescue. Now he had begged for my forgiveness so that we may mend the rifts and make up for lost times—Bloody hell! Now I sound like an elf's ballad!"

Despite sounding annoyed, I saw the smile spread on her face. She was happy. Literally happy with this outcome.

"In all seriousness though. I am glad to let go of all my bitterness and regrets. I have you to thank for this, my love, and I shan't forget."

Those were the most sincere words I ever heard her say. Even her tone was light instead of its usual toughness, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders after so many years. I had never been so happy for anyone in a long time.

Suddenly Aida lunged at me and wrapped me in a strong hug. I hugged her back.

"I'm proud of you, Aida." I said quietly.

She chuckled. "I could never have forgiven my father if it weren't for you. This is all your doing, my love." She then punched me in the shoulder. "So don't sell yourself short! You're a king for Greybeard's sake, learn to take a compliment and credit where its do." She chided me.

I laughed and then she laughed with me. I bent down and pressed my lips to hers. We stayed like that for several minutes before we started moving our business to the bed.

* * *

The war had ended and years passed. King Thelor had relinquished his crown willingly and gave it to Aida a couple years after the war. There were no complaints, by either the nobles or the people. Everyone had heard the story of Aida saving her dying father from a life-taking disease. They knew how compassionate Aida was and welcomed her as their new ruler with open arms. No dwarven ruler had ever been so accepted by the people in all their history.

And not only was Aida Queen of the Dwarves, but she was also Queen of all of Rivellon. With the resources the dwarven kingdoms had, the lands were completely restored thanks to Aida's contribution as queen. So everything destroyed by the war was fixed much quicker than anticipated. As the Emperor of all of Rivellon this also made me look just as good as my wife.

Speaking of the both of us. We lied in our huge Emperor-sized bed, which was twice as big as a queen-size. The bed was big enough to hold ten people! Right now we were staying in the dwarven castle that belonged to Aida's side of the family. It was a massive structure built out of a towering stalagmite in one of the dwarves underground kingdoms. It was a marvel in of itself. We had a castle above ground and we had a castle under the ground. Each one we visited every half-year.

We both lied on our backs, my arm wrapped around her bare shoulder. Her hair was let loose and spread all over. She had her hand on my chest and slowly rubbed it soothingly with her knuckles. It was another long session of our love-making. Even after the war we never stopped.

Why would we?

"Is it just me or is the sex getting better and better?" Aida breathed, which made her huge breasts jiggle a little.

"It was always better." I said with a chuckle. I wiped the sweat from my brow. "I think you and I just get more and more adventurous."

"It's this bed, I think." Aida said, stroking the soft satin and watching ripple like waves of an ocean. "It's so big we can try just about anything."

I looked at her suggestively. "Anything?"

She looked at me equally aroused. "Anything."

I leaned over her ready to dive in to another sexscapade. "Then why don't we—"

"Father! Mother!"

Horror spread to our faces.

"Seven damn it!" Aida cursed.

We both dived under the covers to search for our sleep-wear. One downside to the giant bed was that, whatever clothes we had on would be discarded and sent all over the place from our excursions. Luckily we found them just in time as our bedroom doors opened to two dwarven children came running out. One a boy of age five and the other, a girl of age three. They both had red hair and brown eyes like their mother. These were our children.

"Mother! Father!" The boy and girl jumped into the giant bed and crawled toward us. Thankfully the two got dressed quick enough before the two kids saw anything risqué of their parents.

"W-what are you two doing here?" I asked nervously.

"Grandpa Thelor told us to get you guys and tell you breakfast is ready." My son answered.

"H-he said, that the day is f-for libing and not sleeping." My daughter said, mispronouncing her words.

"He did this with his fingers," he made air quotations, "when he said sleeping, but we don't know why."

King Thelor was very old now and no doubt had little time left, but he had been an excellent father to Aida for the last few years and even a better grandfather. He took to me very well, saying he's never been happier and that he wouldn't feel this way if not for me stepping into his and Aida's relationship and fixing it. However, the man was a mischievous one and always tried to annoy me and my queen in some way, shape or form. Usually by interrupting my wife and I's private time.

Aida sighed with annoyance. "I love my Da, I do, but I wish he'd kick the bucket already just so he can stop sending me children to our room while we're doing it." She said rubbing her forehead.

"Doing what?" My son questioned with a cute turn of his head.

"N-nothing, son." I quickly tried to change the subject. "Why don't you two wait outside while mommy and I get dressed."

"Okay!" The two said and ran out the door.

The two of us sighed in relief when they left.

"Till next time." My wife smirked. I smirked back.

We both got out of bed and got dressed. After being proclaimed Queen, Aida got a new attire. She finally found a dress shirt that actually fit and wouldn't have to worry about any popping buttons. Secretly I was sad to see the window to her valleys go, but hey, I'm married to her so I always got a free look almost whenever I wanted. Anyway, she replaced her leather skirt with a frilly royal purple one and got a better light brown corset that actually fit well with her new dress shirt. Her biggest difference though, was the crown she bought many years ago. The crown was fancy, like something royalty would definitely wear. But it had running clocks on it that made it look very unique. It was the most expensive thing she wore and for some reason she really liked it.

Once dressed I offered my arm to her and she took it gladly. As we walked down to the dining room, Aida stared up at me with such love and adoration I couldn't help but ask.

"What?"

"Nothing." She smiled contently. "This is just perfect." She leaned her head on my arm.

Aida was a woman of many words, so for her to say less meant that she really was satisfied.

I thought back to my mother, my father, my half-siblings. All dead. I thought my life would end without ever having a family at my side.

We made it to the dining room and saw my son and daughter sitting on the lap of their grandfather, who was telling them war stories. Wilma was there as well, serving breakfast. Aida had come to appreciate the Undead maiden and her presence and hired her to be our head-servant. She was also the midwife and god-mother of our children. That was how much we considered her family.

My wife walked up to them and told her father to stop spouting nonsense and told our children to get ready to eat. The children laughed and so did Thelor and Wilma as breakfast was starting. There was no animosity, not even a little, inside the room. Just love and family. It was a beautiful sight.

My family may have fallen apart, but the family I made with Aida . . . that one I managed to keep together.

"This is perfect."

* * *

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 **Up Next: Camila**


	6. Law and Love

Camilla truly lived up to her people's saying of cold-blooded. Out of all the princesses, Camilla was the most honest with her feelings about the marriage arrangement and in truth I admired this. Not only was she sharp of tongue, but she was also a chief justice among her people and held a great sense of pride and justice. Another thing I admired about her.

I was told that this marriage was one out of alliances instead of love. So I took that to heart and married the lizard princess. Though the law was the only thing she had room for in her life, I still wished to know her more and perhaps together we can bring justice to the people of this war-torn world. I don't know if love will come into the equation, but it wouldn't be the first time fate has thrown me a curveball.

* * *

I entered my private quarters and saw my new wife examining the room critically. She studied every piece of furniture, corner, and accessary, down to the last detail. She used both her thumb and index fingers to make a square shape and looked through it, angling and measuring everything. She must be thinking of redecorating the room. Unsurprising, she was a very refined woman. As all lizards were mostly.

As I walked toward her I did a little examining myself of the lizard woman I had married. Her skin was blue, as all lizards were. She had a more human face though, surprisingly. I didn't know if that was because she was young or if it was just some rare trait among the lizards. Or maybe they chose her specifically for that to make her more appealing to me. Speaking of appealing, my thoughts and eyes drifted to the well-sized bust behind her attire. It never made sense to me why lizards had mammary glands when they weren't even mammals, but no man alive would ever complain about such a thing. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if that was another trait for why she was chosen to represent the lizards.

Camilla wore a white cloth over a black designer dress. The two seemed to just meld with each other, giving a fashionable asymmetrical look to her. The black dress was long and stopped at her ankles. It had slits on the hips, exposing the spikes on her blue skin. The white cloth covered mostly her upper torso and jutted out from her shoulders like shoulder pads. Both the black dress and the white top stopped at the middle of her biceps. A gold embroidered belt wrapped around her waist, with the white cloth going through the belt and falling down near the end of her black skirt like a loincloth. She walked barefoot with no shoes at all, exposing her clawed feet. She wore a black and gold headdress atop her fringe, which was decorated with red ropes behind it.

"Yes . . . yes, this room will suffice." Camilla said. "Not too stuffy, not too sunny; a fine study it will make, where I can contemplate my court cases . . ." she turned to me, "and bask in marital bliss of course."

I smirked a little. "Of course." I said softly. I found something amusing about her adding that last part offhandedly. "I'm glad you find your new room acceptable, my lady."

"Acceptable. Yes." She said unsurely. "I hope you won't mind if I redecorate a little. This room is so drab it's almost depressing."

"By all means, my lady. I simply don't have the time to, nor do I think I will ever have time to decorate in the foreseeable future. So, if it pleases you, you may."

She actually gave me a smile. An actual warm smile devoid of any coldness.

"You're too kind." That warm smile quickly turned back to that cold indifference.

"I do hope you haven't too big of an appetite when it comes to matters of love. I myself am little so afflicted or indeed inclined. If the need takes you, don't hesitate to adopt a mistress. There's bound to be some serving girls around here only too happy to delight the dragon with their coital talents. No, if something stirs my passion, it is the law above all else! Tomfoolery I leave for the tom cats."

I couldn't help, but blink and then I couldn't help, but laugh.

"Thank you for the permission, my lady, but I'd have to refuse." It was her turn to blink at me, but she didn't laugh. "I am now a married man, your husband, whether either of us desired to or not. I would never do anything like that even with your permission because that is just not who I am. I am a man of principals and I would never do anything to besmirch your honor and dignity. I am your husband, my lady, and will honor you till death do us part, as are vows say."

I approached her. Her golden eyes were glued to me as I was in arms reach of her.

"However, I would be interested in discussing those court cases with you from time to time. If you so wish."

"You would?" She asked perplexed.

"Yes. If I am to rule over these lands as Emperor then I must have, at the very least, an inkling of what my people are going through. Also, I have always been somewhat fascinated with the law."

Silence was my answer from her, plus slightly raised eyebrows.

A small, but graceful smile decorated her face. "I . . . think I would enjoy that."

I smiled back at her. For a long moment we just looked at each other's eyes, but that moment felt like an eternity. Realizing that we had been looking at each other in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time, Camilla cleared her throat.

"Now then to read through last week's transcripts. I'll see you later. Maybe we can have a spot of dinner together? Marriage is a happy occasion after all, and demands some sort of formal celebration. That is the custom is it not?"

I chuckled. "Yes indeed. Dinner would be lovely. I hope to see you there."

That night we did dine together. There was not much talking, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It was more we took solace in each other's presence.

* * *

When most people get married they usually take a trip somewhere far away or the newlyweds spend their entire honeymoon in bed doing . . . "recreational activities."

Camilla and I are not most people. For starters we are a half-dragon-human hybrid and a lizard-woman judge in a politically arranged marriage, in the middle of a gigantic civil war. Our union was odd long before we said "I do."

A whole day has passed since our marriage. After dinner we retired to bed where we simply just slept. No pleasant words or steamy foreplay, we just went to sleep. With about four feet of space between us. Many would call this unnatural for a married couple, but the thing was: we are strangers to each other. Married, yes, but only for political reasons. Nothing more.

I woke up and found the bed empty. Camilla had gotten up early and started the day with paperwork. We said nothing to each other the whole time, other than "good morning" and proceeded to have breakfast in silence as we each looked over our own work. Like the dinner from yesterday, it wasn't unpleasant and we seemed to just take in each other's company.

For most of the day I spent in the Bridge, plotting strategies with my generals and reclaiming lands, and in the Throne Room discussing matters of import (or at least important to my councilors) with my councilors.

Only once did I have to go out to the field. My men were losing and being slaughtered trying to destroy an enemy base. The opposing general had set up several traps and ambushes. I had gone in my dragon form and burned the general, his fortress, and all his men to ash with my fire. It was a right mess and that's putting it lightly. I could have spared more lives, but after seeing so many fallen, dead and bloody, I couldn't help but be a part of the chaos.

I entered my quarters somewhat exhausted and found the place completely redecorated. It looked more like a study now than a bedroom.

Camilla had taken the bed and placed it on the far side of the room, almost out of sight, so at least there was still somewhere to sleep. There were twice as many red curtains and furniture now then last I stepped in. By the window was an ornate oak desk with an open "Book of Law" displayed on it. By the side was a bust of some famous lizardess with a plaque with the name "Judge Grudy" underneath it. Where the bed used to be was now a large statue of the lizard's Lady Justice and behind it were shelves of books, both old and new.

My wife was standing over her desk, seeming to be in thought. When I approached she turned slightly to acknowledge me, but her cold calculating look did not dissipate.

"My esteemed husband. I'm afraid I cannot spare the time for the more frivolous facets of marriage, as I'm to preside over a court case very soon."

"Oh?" I said curiously.

"Bit of a bizarre one actually, but rather clear-cut. The gist of it is that a ship sank and initially there were only two survivors. A dwarf and a lizard clung to some flotsam, but it too started to sink, so the dwarf kicked away his miserable companion who quickly drowned."

"Self-defense thus pleads the dwarf. Cold-blooded murder, thus protests the prosecution. I'm inclined to agree with the latter. Fellow's going to hang and there's an end to it."

I merely nodded my head at her words, but inside I was thinking. It was easy to think the case was so simple. Too easy. Yes, what the man did was horrible and cowardly, but in a life or death situation like that is it so surprising?

"I don't think it is as simple as you claim, my darling wife." I boldly stated.

"What?"

Her attention was entirely on me now. Those calculating eyes were staring at me both coldly and critically. The single word she uttered felt like ice on the back of my spine.

"I said: I do not believe your case to be so straightforward."

Her gaze intensified.

"And pray tell, my dear dragon, what makes you say otherwise?"

She folded her arms and challenged me, not believing me to actually back up my own words. No doubt she had never been doubted before in her entire life. Those that probably tried were completely broken from her intense gaze and harsh words. But I was not afraid, like her I too was confident in my judgements.

"Do you know what chaos looks like in the thick of it, my wife? I see it every day as I fly over the skies of my kingdom. It's nasty and I put that term mildly. Destruction, panic, desperation . . . death. It is like a constant cycle that plagues everyone like a bad disease. Some people can handle it, even work with it, but most just absolutely lose themselves in the chaos and become consumed by it."

"Is there a point to this, my emperor husband?" She asked almost impatiently.

"That dwarf was one of two survivors of the horrible ship sinking. He barely survived. His mind going a hundred miles an hour, trying to understand all the life loss and destruction he saw. Then here comes one survivor who joins him on the debris he's on and finds his last life line sinking. In that moment things slow down, but in reality happens so fast. He can either kick the second survivor off and live or both die."

"Yet, he still killed the second survivor. Murder. To save his own skin."

"Because he valued his life over another. Is that so strange? Especially in that situation? Can you honestly tell me you would not have done the same if you were in that exact same position?"

"Never would I . . . well, perhaps if instinct took over, I might . . ." Camilla began to seriously think about the situation. She glared at me after she stopped stumbling over her own words and thoughts. "Oh now look what you've done! Doubt rears its head, but is it reasonable doubt?"

"So long as you truly think about it. My intentions were not to complicate things for you, but to merely make you take the case seriously and with real thought."

She said nothing to that and turned around to face her desk. "I must think on this solely and serenely. If you'd be so kind."

I bowed my head. "As you wish."

I left her to her own thoughts. Camilla could handle the rest. I simply gave her a nudge in a direction she would never take on her own. Even in law and justice, nothing is ever straightforward.

* * *

A few days had passed since Camilla and I were married. In that time we were mostly apart, due in no small part to our duties. Mine as a leader of a war and hers as a judge. During that time I received a few japes about marrying Camilla, namely jokes centering around cold-bloodedness and reptilian reproduction. Dragon remember?

Of course I brushed off said japes and snapped at those who went too far. Camilla was my wife now and that meant I had to defend her honor when necessary. Unsurprisingly, the lizards of my campaign were practically rejoicing my choice in spouse. Especially Prospera and Edmund. The pompousness and superiority practically filled the Raven almost to the point of suffocation.

When I entered my quarters I saw my wife sitting at her desk. Her head was leaning on her hand and slowly rubbing her temple. She seemed almost exhausted or at the least troubled.

I slowly approached. Whether she knew I was behind her she gave no indication.

"You seem troubled, my reptilian mate." I said.

She actually waved her hand irately.

"Another day, another mind-breaker! Praise yourself lucky, my draconic husband, that you have but a war to wage and a realm to rule! Here I am contemplating the fate of a fellow lizard, though I shudder to count this repulsive reptile as one of my own refined race."

That was a surprise. Lizards were extraordinarily proud. They liked to think that they were superior to every race and could do no wrong. So it was always a hard and bitter pill to swallow when one of their kind actually committed a heinous crime.

"It's that bad?"

"Excellent choice of words." She nodded. "It, yes 'It', has brutally murdered a fair elven maiden because she spurned his lewd advances. The brute is guilty as sin, that much is clear as daylight, but the all-lizard jury has found him not guilty . . . so much for my own refined race."

There was an actual trace of disappointment in my wife haughty tone. Hard . . . bitter . . . pill.

"No race is perfect, my dear. Even the lizards have their faults, just as much as everyone else."

Camilla sighed. "Becoming your queen, I'm beginning to realize that . . . as difficult as it is to admit." She cleared her throat to get back on topic.

"Be that as it may, deep down I want to dismiss the jury's verdict as hurriedly as I would an Undead's love letter and simply hang the beast! Were it not for my conscientious nature, I would do so."

"Then perhaps you should consider that the lawful thing to do is not necessarily the conscientious thing to do."

"Are you suggesting . . . are you saying I should listen to my own opinion and ignore the jury?" She looked almost baffled.

"I'm not saying. I _am_ suggesting. You are the judge here, Camilla. You have to make the choice, but ask yourself this? Say you choose the lawful solution and the lizard goes free, what then? A family is denied justice and an obvious killer goes free to kill again . . . all so the lizards can save face."

"I shouldn't be swayed by such a facile twist of words, but when one hears what one wants to hear one tends to throw caution to the wind." She snapped her book shut and got up from her desk. "I'll think about it—I can say no more."

"Excellent. I'm glad to hear it." I smiled.

Camilla walked over to her bookshelf and put the book back onto one of the top shelves.

"So what's this about an Undead's love letter?" I smirked.

I saw her shoulders twitch just slightly, but when she turned you wouldn't think she had even so much as flinched. Her face was as collected and cool as it ever was.

"Oh that? Nothing to concern yourself over. I receive epistles of a licentious nature quite frequently—the bane of beauty—but you may rest easy; I lack the passion to be anything but monogamous." She replied offhandedly.

I chuckled a little. "I'm not worried. I trust your faithfulness just as you trust in mine. I just thought it was interesting."

"And why, pray tell, would you find that interesting?" She raised a delicate brow.

"It's nice to know I'm not the only one who finds you beautiful."

The only reaction she gave me from that was a slight swish of her long tail, but that could have been a seemingly random thing. Still she stayed quiet for some time before she finally responded to me.

"I thank you for the compliment, but flattery will get you nowhere, my dear husband." She waved me off.

Once again I chuckled. I seemed to be doing that quite often because she glared at me for doing so.

"Forgive me, Camilla. I simply just wanted to express the admiration I have for you. Both your mind and beauty. If I ever do so again, please just indulge in my selfishness. We are, after all, husband and wife."

There was a pause. Her amber eyes blinked a few times and her tail swished from right to left and viceversa. Finally she spoke.

"Very well, husband mine. I suppose it is customary for married individuals to pay each other compliments time and again. I will try to do the same in the future.

I walked up to her, grabbed her hand and kissed its back. Her skin was cold, like most lizards, but smooth to the touch, almost like silk.

"You are a generous woman, my lovely lady."

She took her hand back and grasped it with her other hand as if she retracted it from fire. She turned back to her books, seemingly eyeing them for a particular one.

"Yes, well . . . I must continue with my work. Please leave me, I have much to think on." She said rather hurriedly.

"Of course, my lady. I have business to attend with my councilors now anyway. Good day." I gave her a slight nod and walked away.

She tried very hard to hide it, but before she turned away from me I saw the deep blush that spread across her beautiful face. I smirked. Perhaps she wasn't as cold blooded after all.

* * *

I sat at the dining table in my personal quarters. It was a long rectangular table with candelabrums illuminating the delicious food that was displayed. There were bowls of fruits and vegetables. Dinner was meat, a steak for me with a special sauce, but my dear wife had some large beetle that was a rare delicacy for her people. Like my steak it was slathered in some kind of white sauce with lettuce and tomatoes surrounding it.

Before I could start eating, Camilla entered the room. She removed her robes and elegantly walked toward the table where she took her place on the other end. We both started eating without uttering a word. At least that's how it usually was. For the first time Camilla started a conversation at the beginning of dinner.

"You know it is a curious sensation, husband of mine, to feel a certain warmth invade my cold-blooded veins at the thought of having explored the edges of lawful conduct once more and letting the horizons of the heart infringing upon what should be the purviews of the mind."

I composed myself after getting over my initial shock. I quietly swallowed the piece of steak I was eating.

"Oh? Do tell, my dear?"

Camilla tore away a piece of the beetle's shell and used her fork to eat a soft part of the insect. After she swallowed she dabbed her lips with her napkin.

"Following my instincts, and therefore dismissing a jury based on no more than the suspicions of bias, has set a precedent deemed dangerous by a good many of my colleagues, but never have I been more certain justice was served then when I heard the snap that heralded the breaking of the elf-killer's neck upon his drop from the scaffold."

I had never seen such a satisfied smile on Camilla's face before. True I didn't know her for very long, but she had done quite a lot in her career. I looked around the room at all the accomplishments she had. Awards, recommendations, certificates, but all of those brought up in a conversation didn't even create a smirk compared to the prideful grin she had now.

"So you had the villain hung? Good riddance!" I raised my glass to the death of such a scumbag.

Camilla's smile brightened. She raised her glass with me. "Indeed! And now he is being served as a last meal for a gang of orcs on death row. So much for the steak they requested."

I chuckled and then we both took a sip of our wine. After which Camilla reverted back to her serious look.

"But enough of this frivolity! Prospera is displeased with my verdict, and I gather she's not the only one of my kin who is."

I shrugged. "As I told you your people are a prideful bunch. Not everyone will be pleased with your choices."

"Yes, yes, I know. I've learned that pretty clearly, dragon." She said annoyed. "I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it. Oberon, on the other hand, obviously rejoiced, though the sight of an elf rejoicing does little to alleviate my mood."

"Yet you don't seem as annoyed or as frustrated as you sound."

She shook her head and pulled out a folded up sheet of paper. "That would be because of this. It is a letter that I received from the dead girl's parents thanking me for my actions. THIS has dispelled any wry feelings I may have had about going against the letter of the law a second time. I did the right thing." She said that like she was trying to convince herself. Then she nodded in resolution. "I did the right thing."

She got up from the dinner table and walked toward a shelf full of her achievements. She moved a couple things aside and gently placed the thank you letter in a spot that easily presented the parchment.

I walked up beside her and caught the sight of a satisfied and happy smile. It was a smile that enhanced her already regal beauty.

"You have a lovely smile."

Camilla jerked and looked me square in the eyes. She kept herself very composed, but my keen eyes noticed the slight fidget. "Thank you, my husband, for that compliment. I shall return in kind." She cleared her throat before saying, "You have nice teeth."

I couldn't help but snort trying to hold back my laughter.

"What?" She glared at me. "You have nice, white, straight teeth. I believe dental hygiene to be an important feature."

Now I had to compose myself. "Thank you, Camilla. I appreciate the compliment."

"You are welcome." She let out a pleased sigh. "Huh, there is something nice about receiving and giving compliments. Especially with you, my dear husband. You know, despite lingering traces of inner turmoil, I feel we should celebrate tonight. I may even have a second glass of wine! Ha! Such Wanton abandon!"

"Why not?" I said excitedly. I walked over to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine. "I've been saving this for a special occasion. I don't see any better occasion then sharing a drink with my wife."

Camilla looked at the bottle and her eyes widened. "Is that . . . Chateau Celine? The wine that was said to have been blessed by the gods and aged for over a thousand years"

"Indeed it is." A smirked.

"How?! Only ten were ever made. A single bottle is worth an entire country. An expert would pay a king's fortune, thrice over, just for a sip."

"Courtesy of my mother. She was given many gifts over her many long years. She passed down most of them to me after . . . well, after her death."

"Are you sure you wish to have it now? With me?"

I smiled at her consideration and thoughtfulness. "Like I said: I can't think of a better time to drink it then now, here, with my wife."

She smiled as I poured the wine into two goblets. I set the bottle down and then we each looked at one another. After a second I raised my glass.

"To you, my lady." I toasted. "To righting the wrongs in this world and bringing justice."

Camilla smirked, her amber eyes shown a little twinkle in them. "And to you, my dragon. For the exact same reasons."

Both our smiles never left. We sipped down our wines and then went off to bed. I slept mostly in my undergarments and Camilla wore a revealing black lace lingerie that left nothing to the imagination. The first time I saw it, it was stunning and made my jaw drop.

Most people wouldn't think such an uptight woman would wear something so risqué, but Camila had many sides most people wouldn't think she'd have. I was thankful to be one of few who knew those sides.

When we hopped into bed I thought it would be another night where we'd sleep apart, but I was surprised, pleasantly so, when my lizardess slid next to me.

"Camilla?"

"What? We are husband and wife. Like complimenting each other, this is natural."

Camilla was taller than me, by a head. So when she laid down next to me and brought me into her, my face rested into the crook of her neck. Her slender arms wrapped around me as she settled her chin onto the top of my head. Under the covers I could feel her long tail wrapping around my leg and her foot brushing against mine.

I was thankful it was dark otherwise she would see the embarrassing blush on my face. A shame though she wouldn't see the contented smile I had. I wrapped my strong arms around her waist. I could feel the coolness of her skin melding with my warm bloodedness. It was nice and I could feel Camilla relax in my arms too.

"Yes. This is natural."

* * *

 **I'm not gonna lie guys, this one was a little more difficult than I thought it would be. It took a while because I was being all perfectionist with it. I deleted a lot I didn't like and was unsatisfied with much I typed.**

 **Even though I finished this chapter and even though I'm satisfied with a lot of this, I still have some doubts. I'd appreciate it if you guys gave me a good review here so that I know how well I did. I'd greatly appreciate it.**


	7. Passionate Justice

**I sincerely apologize for taking so long with this chapter. I truly appreciate your patience and your kind reviews!**

 **Warning: Lemon in this chapter!**

* * *

As I walked down the hall to my quarters I was twisting my neck side to side. I rubbed my neck as it made uncomfortable popping sounds. I couldn't help it. For the entire day I was drowning in paperwork and bureaucracy!

It was my job, sure, and I did it with dignity and the respect it deserved. But sometimes I just wanted to turn into my draconic form and burn all that paperwork and maybe even my councilors to ash. Especially Yorrick.

I could never agree with anything the Undead representative proposed. The times we did agree were rare and far in between. Everything he agreed to I disagreed. Everything he proposed I shut down with an almost unanimous backing.

Suffice to say, my approval ratings with the Undead were much lower then any of the other races.

I sighed. Still, even though not everyone agreed with my choices I took solace in the fact that I was still helping the peoples of my empire. I was doing good even if no one liked it.

I entered my quarters. I set my coat on a rack and walked over to Camilla. She had her nose deep in some document and didn't even acknowledge my presence in the room. I didn't mind, I admired her dedication.

"Evening, my dear."

"Hm?" Camilla turned her head, just realizing I was in the room. "Sorry, I didn't notice you there. I'm catching up on my correspondence. This letter, Yorrick sent makes for a fascinating read."

"Something the Undead provided is fascinating? Do tell."

"Seems the Undead are formally accusing the dwarves of invading their sovereignty by means of a subtle, but nefarious scheme. After opening banks in what was supposed to be a bid to stimulate local economy in Undead provinces, dwarven bankers have been lending many Undead enough money to buy land and houses only to exponentially increase the interest rates afterwards."

I rubbed my temple feeling a migraine coming on "Oh boy." Curse those dwarves.

"The unfortunate homeowners can no longer pay their mortgages, are evicted, and their lands and properties go to the banks. It seems the dwarves have been playing this trick on a very large scale, effectively stripping the Undead of large pieces of territory, hence the latter's claim of a breach of sovereignty."

"In layman's terms: they're subtly taking Undead land without any illegality bullshit getting in their way. Thus leaving many people homeless"

"Precisely." Camilla confirmed. "Yorrick's plea is a simple one: he wants me to condemn this scheme as illegal. From the looks of it though, it's all above board—if one negates the moral angle."

I scoffed. "The moral angle tends to become a blind spot when Falstaff and his like even catch a whiff of gold. We're trying to bring this war-torn world back together and he risks it with this "Get-rich-quick" scheme? This could lead to violence between the dwarves and the undead and I don't want to deal with another civil war on my hands."

Camilla paused to process his words. "So, you're ever so subtly implying that I put a stop to their knavish enterprise?" I said nothing, I would never dream of telling her what to do or how to do her job. But nothing wrong with subtly suggesting it. Her next words would completely catch me by surprise. "You know what, I'll do it!"

"R-really?" I asked cautiously.

"Yes. Just like that!"

I couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, Camilla."

"Think nothing of it." She waved off. "Oh, the things I do for love." She said dramatically.

I put on a coy smile and gave her a dashing smirk. "Oh? You love me?"

Away that dramatic façade of hers went and snapped back that cold look I was more familiar with. "Look, I'm doing you a favor, but don't let it go to your head. Passion makes a fool of us all once in a while."

"Passion? Love? Lady Camilla, you could make a man blush with those words." She kept looking at me with a pointed expression.

I laughed. "Forgive me for the jests, My Lady. I truly do appreciate what you are doing for me." I grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. "And if you are ever in need of my aid, I will happily give it no matter what it is."

Camilla took her hand back before speaking. "I will keep that in mind. Now if there's nothing else, my husband, I'd like to return to my work. I still have to go over other cases as well."

"Very well, My Lady." I bowed to her before walking away.

At the corner of my eye I saw her caress the hand that I had kissed. Her tail was unknowingly swishing back and forth in a way that said she was in a pleasant mood.

* * *

I wiped the sweat from my brow and patted the soot from my clothing. I sniffed my underarms and recoiled in disgust. Today was a long day. Hard battles and even harder enemies. But whatever we were given we gave back tenfold.

An elven dictator, known as the Duke of Dread, refused to surrender his ill-gotten lands and sent a very verbal threat to the Raven. I recalled little save one line where he said, "I'll skin you alive, dragon, and wear you as a new pair of boots and jacket."

After that fire and blood were all I recalled. I gathered my forces and chose Edmund to help with the assault. It was tricky at first, the Duke had many forces fighting for him, but the elf was no match for Edmund's tactical mind.

The lizard toyed with his foes, splitting up many of the major attackers, where then I and several bombers ambushed them. I would perform guerilla attacks and lead many defenders away where the less defended locations would be taken or destroyed and then my followers would then be flanked and killed. I burned down so many vehicles, buildings, and people it was like a dragon's dream.

Still though, the battle was not without losses or difficulty. It took most of the day to deal with before the elven dictator finally fell. Perished in his own home, covered in falling debris and burned alive by my fire.

I walked through my bedroom doors, ready to take a bath, but stopped when I saw the annoyed look on my wife's face. She was sitting in a chair, apparently deep in thought. I greeted her, and she returned in kind, interestingly she didn't sound half as annoyed as she seemed. I noticed the grey envelope sitting on a stand next to her. I recognized those letters as the ones highborn undead send.

"Remind me to say 'no' the next time you ask me for something, Dragon." Camilla said somewhat irked. "Because I'd much rather have Yorrick huffing and puffing away at me then Falstaff on the war path. I tell you, there's a giant's anger trapped in that diminutive body of his."

I blinked a few times. That certainly caught me by surprise. "Believe me, I know full well having Yorrick angry means you're doing something right, but this wouldn't have something to do with the dwarven banks would it?"

"Indeed it does, dear dragon." She nodded. "I did as you asked and now the dwarves are putting up a fuss. The undead are happy enough as it is though."

"What did you do exactly?"

"In dwarven eyes I stole their money. In undead eyes (or lack thereof) I saved their homes. And to think I didn't even close a single dwarven bank in undead regions or impede their working in any way. I merely had their clerks remove the small print from their contracts, thus counteracting the interest inflation. Touchy little tykes."

"There were no legal issues to deal with?" I asked curiously.

"A few, but I out maneuvered their clumsy attempts at hindering me. A dwarf hasn't been born yet that can manipulate the law to my detriment."

There was such pride in her voice I couldn't help but smile and be proud of and for her. She did a good thing and kept her belief in the law intact. There seemed like a new shine to her scaly blue skin.

Camilla grabbed the envelope off the stand and presented it to me.

"By the by, I've been invited by Yorrick to attend a feast in my honor. I'm quite the celebrity among the living dead as of late; hailed as a liberator in fact. Funny, isn't it? I play fast and loose with the law and suddenly I'm popular. Never did my integrity result in such a jubilee."

My smile broadened "That's because the people are seeing that you're not only following the law and serving justice, but that you are also looking out for them as well. In their eyes you have a lawful and kind heart."

Her eyes had widened from my words and the envelope almost slipped from her fingers. Her tail began to shift happily. She caught herself and tried to compose her demeanor, but she failed to hide her blush too late.

"My what fantastical words." She said nonchalantly. "I'm just doing my job, as any judge would. I don't need any buttering up, dragon. I am already your wife and you my husband."

"Of course." I chuckled.

"Oh, before I forget, the celebration is tonight. So, seeing as the invitation says, "plus one" and my sister turns out to be unavailable, perhaps you'd like to accompany me?"

"I would be happy too, my lady lizard." I bowed playfully.

She smiled, but then she stuck her tongue out and withdrew in repugnance. "Do take a bath first though, you reek of burnt flesh and jet-engine oil."

I nodded and headed to the bathroom. I undressed and threw my clothes into a hamper for the servants to get later. A bath had already been drawn for me and I slowly sunk into the hot comforting water.

I let out a content sigh. "This is nice."

"Care to make it nicer?"

I opened my eyes and saw Camilla standing in the doorway with nothing on. My eyes went from her long legs, to her slender waist, to her bountiful breasts, to her smooth shoulders, to her delicious neck and stopped at her beautiful and dazzling golden eyes.

She saw my appraising looks and a devilish smile spread on her face. She was blushing the whole time, but so was I, no doubt. I was pretty sure I was slack jawed too but was unable to think properly at the moment to save myself. Seeing me speechless she walked toward me, swaying her hips. Her tail swished from side to side like a serpent.

Without waiting for me to speak she got in with me. With two bodies, the bath overflowed and some of the water escaped.

I just barely noticed that as I was too busy feeling my wife's back press against my body. Her bum sat on my thighs and her tail was peaking out the edge of the tub. She leaned her head back on my chest and moaned in pleasure. Whether it was from the bath or my . . . "little firebreather" pressed against her I wasn't sure.

All I knew was that I was getting a little too hot now.

"I needed a bath as well." She said. "And I didn't want to wait till you were done."

"I see." Was all I could say.

She looked to the side. I couldn't see her face, but I assumed she was a little bashful. I doubt she did something like this often. This was new to both of us.

"No need to be stiff-er-anxious. This is normal, yes? Something that married couples do."

Like the snap of a whip in my brain I realized that Camilla was trying to open up to me. Be vulnerable.

To show her my appreciation I put my hands on her shoulders and started rubbing them.

"Your very tense, my wife." I whispered into her ear. She actually shuddered.

"The work of a judge is quite taxing on the mind and body, my emperor."

"So, I see. As your husband, let me relax you."

"Mmm, I don't think we have time for this. We must not be late for the party." She didn't sound convincing.

"Relax." I kept rubbing, this time digging in deeper. "We got time. Besides when was the last time you got attention like this."

"Never." She sighed. Then she accidentally let out a loud moan. She was so surprised by what she did she jumped a little in my arms.

"That good huh?"

She looked to the side again. "You have strong hands."

"All the more to please you."

Without warning she turned around. Now we were face to face. Eye to eye. Her bust was pressed against my chest now and our faces dangerously close.

Nothing was said between us for a while. The steam from the hot water started making us breathe harder and flushing our faces more than they already were.

We stared at each other longer before I swallowed the spit in my mouth hard and worked up the nerve to say something.

"Camilla?"

"Yes?"

"You're so beautiful."

And then she kissed me. Her hands grabbed the sides of my face and she dived right in. I wrapped my arms around her bare back, pulling her tightly to me.

The water splashed and shifted from our sudden movements. Our kissing became loud and smacking noises filled the room. After a minute, Camilla removed her lips from mine. She and I panted heavily, trying to catch our breath. Two seconds went by before we went at it again.

This time she stuck her tongue into my mouth. Lizard tongues were not like human's. They were much longer. I could feel a metaphorical fire light inside me as her tongue literally wrapped around mine and pulled it into her mouth. She sucked on my tongue and then went back to kissing me. She sucked it again and so on.

I moved my arms and began stroking her lower back then moved one hand to her hindquarters. I gave it a squeeze causing her to squeak in my mouth. Then I went for the base of her tail.

And that's when things started to get really fun.

She stopped kissing me to let out a moan she couldn't hold back. Her neck was exposed to me and I began to bite and kiss it.

She put her head back down and pressed her forehead to mine. Panting, I could feel her breath against my skin. I stroked harder on her tail and she grit her teeth not to let out another loud moan. She kissed me to silence herself and placed her arms around me.

I held onto her soft thigh as I continued to stroke her tail. Harder and faster. Finally I felt her release and she moaned into me. Her voice and breath reverberated through my body.

She went slack and she removed her mouth from mine. Her long tongue followed after, leaving a trail of saliva between us.

"That was . . ." She breathed. Her large chest heaved as she tried coming down from her high. "That was good."

"Yeah." I kissed her chest and even gave her nipple a lick, making her shudder again.

Then she seemed to notice something she looked down and realized I was still hard.

"Now, we can't have that. We have a party to go to and you won't be showing up with that."

"T-that's okay, Camilla, you don't have tooOOH!"

I felt her hands wrap around and began to go up and down.

"Come now, dragon." She said coyly. "Cum now." She said sultry.

I placed my hand on my face. I tried to compose myself as to not look like a mess in front of her, but I was failing miserably. She was going faster now.

She leaned forward and presented her bust to me. I put her dark blue nipple in my mouth and started sucking. Camilla moaned as I squeezed her left breast and nibbled the right.

"Ah! Ahh! AH!"

"Camilla." I breathed as I kissed the valley between her breasts.

I looked up and saw the ecstasy on her face, but also the satisfaction she was having of touching me. I looked higher and thought of something I always wanted to do. I reached up and grabbed the fringe on top of her head.

"Oh?" Camilla stopped. I squeezed. "Oh!" She said delightfully. And then I stroked the membrane "OOH!"

She liked it. She liked it a lot.

She stroked me faster and even began rubbing it against her thigh. I buried my face in her bosom and pinch the spikes of her fringe. "Camilla." I mumbled in her chest. "I'm . . . I'm . . ."

"J-just do it already." She gasped.

"Hrrmmm!" I released.

Camilla leaned forward and bit my shoulder as she came as well.

We panted and held each other as we both just became putty in the other's arms. Camilla removed her sharp teeth from my shoulder. It left marks, but I enjoyed them.

We said nothing. We tried coming down from our high with great difficulty. Camilla started to wheeze. I quickly realized she was trying to say something.

"What?" I asked. I couldn't make out what she was saying.

"We . . . ate . . .arty"

I sighed, finally calming down a bit.

"Say that again."

She finally looked at me and said, "We're going to be late for the party."

* * *

The celebration ended up being quite enjoyable. Yorrick and several high ranking undead expressed their eternal thanks for what Camilla had done. Saving those homes and stopping the dwarves did wonders for my publicity and almost wiped away everything negative the skeletons thought of me.

Camilla was more than happy to bask in their praise and I was more then happy to watch her receive the credit she deserved.

The next day she was entirely happy. She almost had a skip in her step, but then she'd remind herself that she was a cold-blooded lizard and would return herself to her regal ways. It was adorable I thought.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, as she was in a foul mood at the end of the day.

"Your latest conquest has given me quite the headache, husband dear!" She said irately. "You overrun realm after realm not caring about who has to vacate the local throne. The other day it was a notorious elven dictator. So far so good you might say, but the situation is more complicated than that."

"That dictator was a piece of work. The men under him even more so. What happened?"

"During the confusion that arose when your armies marched in, a group of guerillas kidnapped a bunch of big-wigs' wives and children. They demand the release of their leader, one who opposed the rule of the toppled dictator."

I crossed my arms and gave it some thought. "I remember the man. An elf. An unruly one at that. He killed a soldier while attempting to escape custody. I remember him specifically for the burn scar I gave him from my dragon fire. He lost an eye and half his face from it."

Camilla nodded. "Shame you couldn't have ended him then. His means of opposition included murder, bombings, arson and other pleasantries. He is hated and feared by the populace almost as much as the down fallen despot."

"His followers threaten to kill the hostages until he is pardoned and set free post haste. But doing so would invalidate our rule of never negotiating with those who wreak terror."

The look on my wife's face said it all. This was the direst case she ever had. Instead of being responsible for one life and judging it, she was responsible for many. She had to make a decision this time, not just as a judge, but as a queen. For the first time she felt the weight of her own power.

"What are you thinking dragon?" She asked me. "I am unsure exactly how to handle this. Never before have I had to make such a difficult choice. This won't be just one life I'm judging. It's several, good and ill. As a judge it's a clear answer, but as a queen . . . I am unsure."

"What do you feel you should do?" I asked her.

Silence was her answer first and then after some thought she spoke. "The judge in me says we should not give in. That we should send out rangers and have them retrieve the hostages discreetly."

I nodded. "That doesn't sound so bad a plan."

"Yes, but there are many ways such an act can go sideways. We risk putting the hostages in even more peril then before."

"There is always risk." I reminded her.

"Yes, but I've never dealt with risk like this. The only other option is to give in to their demands and release the blasted criminal . . . but that would go against the law . . . my very principals."

I shook my head. "You aren't going against your principals, Camilla. What is the law created for?"

"To uphold order and keep civilization from collapsing."

"No. The law is created to protect the people. Order is merely the byproduct. Law is there to punish the wicked and protect the innocent. Look at what you've done since boarding the Raven. You've spared lives, you've punished criminals, you've stood up to corruption without batting an eye."

"That's . . ."

"What do YOU want to do, Camilla?"

"I . . . I want to save the hostages at any cost!"

I smiled. "As do I."

"Then it is settled. I'll get the paperwork settled and have the scum set free for the exchange." She sighed uncomfortably. "It will pain me to keep up a kind façade when facing these dregs from the gutter! The moment the hostages are freed, I will hunt down every last one of them!"

* * *

"You are too kindhearted my husband!" Camilla shoved her paperwork to the floor out of spite

I had never seen her so angry and frustrated and perhaps maybe . . . regretful? And she had every right to be.

In my tightly gripped hand was a report about a recent event. Several days had passed since the release of the war criminal. All hostages were set free, safe, and returned to their families. Then Camilla sent out rangers to track the vile foes, but their search resulted in nothing, but false leads. At first nothing seemed to happen, giving people the impression that the criminal had decided to give up on his vendettas. How greatly wrong they were.

"We released a dangerous outlaw upon the world and now that foul savage smuggled kegs of gunpowder into a tavern cellar! The explosion killed dozens and maimed many. Those that had gazed upon the scene wished they had turned to stone just so they would not have to experience the horror that would scar their souls."

Camilla had met a great number of foul, despicable, and evil beings in all her years as a judge. She had practically seen every crime ever committed ranging from the small stuff like theft and fraud, to the great crimes like murder and genocide. But this was the first time she had ever actually been involved with a crime. No, she didn't commit it, but she was responsible for letting the evil elf out and therefore she was just as responsible for the tavern bombing.

I didn't believe that one bit, but I was the minority as many people blamed her for this travesty.

"This is not your fault Camilla."

She reeled on me. "Do not patronize me dragon! This is my fault! I allowed that scum to leave his cell to save the lives of a few, only to have it cost the lives of the many. I should have sent the rangers instead. I should have kept that monster in his hole. I should have—"

I hugged her. My action shocked her to silence. She tried pushing me away, but I would not budge.

"This is no time for—"

I shushed her calmly and slowly. I rubbed my hand against her back and she seemed to relax.

"Camilla," I said in an almost-whisper, "you have a spotless record. Not once have you ever misjudged a case. Not once have you ever had to question your final judgment. I know you haven't because I know you're that confident and that brilliant."

As she hugged me back for my praise, her tail started to wrap around us both.

"But, this is not a court case. This is not the duty of a judge, this is the duty of a queen. And the job of a queen will not be so straightforward as your job as a judge. You will make choices that won't always be good, but they also won't always be bad either. You made a confident and smart decision and it didn't go well, but you don't know if the other choices would have been any better."

"How could my other choices possibly have been worse?"

"I don't know and you don't either. But I do know this: your choice saved several mothers and children."

That actually did get a smile out of her.

"My mother had a saying once: "Don't just react . . . act."

She looked directly into my eyes now.

"You made a choice as a judge Camilla, now make a choice as a queen."

My lovely lizard took a deep breath and her now rigid body suddenly became calm. "Thank you, my dragon."

I smiled and gave her a chaste kiss before letting go of her.

"And this was not only your decision, Camilla. I helped you decide what to do, so I am just as responsible."

"Yes, I suppose you are." She said that not in her usual haughty tone, but more that she just acknowledged it. "As you said, now is not the time for emotions, now is the time for action." She took the report form my hand and started going over it. "This terrorist attack was not just directed at me, but mainly toward you."

I nodded, seriousness now the only thing represented on my face.

"This is his way of declaring war on you, dragon! A creature like this never desists, they simply look for new prey. A tyrant is gone, but another replaced him: you. I therefore leave you to answer one question: What will we do about this blight upon the realm?"

I smiled sinisterly. "We gave this man a chance at freedom and now he's squandered it in the worst possible way. Legality is over, we KNOW he's guilty and so judgment shall be passed down on him."

I saw Camilla visibly shudder from my words.

"This man thinks me a tyrant? Then a tyrant's methods I shall employ. Let assassins take care of the bastard once and for all!"

Camilla smiled devilishly along with me. "Spoken like a true dictator! Your wish, dear: my command!"

. . .

. . .

!

We could no longer hold it in. We both burst into laughter! I clutched my hurting gut and Camilla covered her mouth with her perfectly manicured hand.

"A tyrant's methods?" I choked from laughter. "I had no idea how dramatic I could be."

"Your wish is my command . . . hahaha! Took all my strength to say that with a straight face."

We both managed to calm down and catch our breath.

"Thank you, my husband, for helping me. Your council has always been so . . . refreshing to me."

I kissed the back of her hand and then stood on the tips of my toes to kiss her cheek.

"I am always happy to help you, my wife. I will be there for you whenever you need me."

She smiled seductively at me "Perhaps you'd like to be there for me . . . in the bath?"

Now I was smiling seductively. "I would love to."

We were both in a dark and heavy place mere moments ago. Together we picked ourselves up and we showed the world that nothing could stop us.

* * *

"It is over, my dragon. The terror weaver that has stalked our streets like a rabid killer is no more. Assassinated with slow and painful precision just like I asked. Then he and his associates heads were to be delivered to the rafters, where they'd hang for all to see as a reminder that justice will always prevail!"

I read the reports. Even went there in dragon form along with my wife. There was no more glorious sight then seeing men who got their just desserts.

"Very impressive, my lady." I praised.

"Nothing the cretin didn't deserve! I know some silently blame me for the tavern tragedy, as it was I who released the bomber in return for the hostages."

"We're both responsible, Camilla." I reminded her.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Yes, I know, but they don't see it that way. But the blame of who matters not! I am vindicated. My reputation is that of a strong leader who isn't afraid to be a bit creative with conventions, if it serves the greater good. Of course, among the top echelons of the legal world, some regard me as a bit of a loose cannon. But so be it, what do they know of the real world, perched over parchments and breathing dust."

"You once told me you were a woman of the world. Now you are even more so. You have experience that none of your associates have."

"Indeed. A year ago, had someone told me that I would be playing loose with the law, I'd have scoffed in their face and order my guards to throw them into the gutter. Now . . . I am glad I'm a different person."

"Feels good to be spontaneous every once in a while, doesn't it?"

"It's positively liberating! Maybe I should order assassination more often. They do tend to take the edge off." She giggled.

I honestly couldn't tell if she was being serious or not.

"Talking of being creative with conventions," offhandedly she said, "I think I'm going to continue my spree of spontaneity and take the rest of the day off. O, I feel quite giddy now!"

I smiled. The only times I saw her get that excited was when she had a particularly interesting court case. "Well, since you've taken the day off, is there anything you wish to do?"

She eyed me up and down and walked toward me. She took me into an embrace and my face became buried in her blessed chest.

"Why don't we . . . spend the day together?"

"I'd like that."

It didn't take long for us to lose our clothes. I picked up a naked Camilla, holding her legs in my arms, as I carried her toward the bed. We made out even after we hit the bed. Camilla kissed my lips, my cheeks, and my forehead.

I kissed her lips, cheeks, down her neck and the center between her neck and breasts. I could feel her long fingers play with my hair as I nuzzled her bosom and flicked her nipples with my tongue.

"Ah, dragon," she inhaled deeply, "that's good right there."

I focused on that spot a while longer, driving Camilla even crazier. Soon though I returned up, where our mouths and tongues wrestled again. I could feel my member prick against her soft thighs.

Camilla was cool to the touch, where as I was as warm as a furnace. You would think that such contrasting body temperatures would make love-making uncomfortable, but it just enticed us more! Camilla rubbed her legs and tail against my body and me vice versa.

Finally, the moment we were waiting for came. After a few minutes of rubbing and humping, I slid my member inside her and we both sighed in pleasure.

I moved my hips back and forth. At first slowly, where a resounding smack would be my reward. Camilla moved her pelvis rhythmically with my thrusts. We both let out moans and grunts, signaling how good we were both feeling.

I started to move faster. Camilla wrapped her legs around my hips, keeping me closer and I could feel her claws dig into my back. The pain enticed me to go further and faster. I looked to the side and saw Camilla's tail swish sporadically on the bed.

Our lips locked again, and I grabbed her tail. Camilla moaned, which reverberated through me. I stroked her tail, making her buck faster against my thrusts. I squeezed a little more tightly and flicked my finger against the tip of her tail.

That seemed to have been the breaking point because she broke away from my kiss and came. Her mouth let out a pleased gasp, where as I hissed in pain from her nails digging into my back.

I stopped moving, even though I had not released yet. Her chest heaved with every deep breath she made. Her yellow eyes seemed glazed over as she rode out her high.

When she finally came to she pushed me off. I gave her a confused look but became even more excited when she got on her hands and knees. Her tail was twitching in ecstasy and anticipation as she showed me her rear-end.

"We're just getting started." She enticed.

I felt my body heat up even more. So much so that actual steam was produced when my body connected to hers. Camilla moaned from the heat and I groaned from the position we were in. My hands grasped her hips and I rammed hard against her.

Her skin was cool to the touch. It felt so wonderful I roamed my hands all over her body. I squeezed her hips and cheeks and slowly stroked her along her waist. I pushed her down, lying on her back and cupped her magnificent breasts. I kissed the nape of her neck, while I played with her nipples.

"AH!" Camilla yelled out. "This position . . ." She breathed, "this position is great!"

"Yes . . . it is!" Was all I could muster to say. I wanted to go back to kissing her body. With both my lips and my hips.

"Husband—Ah—get back on your knees. Ah! Ah! AH!"

Without question I did as asked. Camilla also got on her knees, but kept her torso down, sticking he blue butt in the air. I kept bucking my pelvis and she kept pushing back. Eliciting even more provocative slapping sounds.

Suddenly, I felt her tail wrap around my neck. It tightened, reducing my airflow a bit, but I was in no danger. I trusted Camilla and I would have been lying if I said I didn't enjoy iy somewhat.

The bit of pain actually encouraged me to ram her harder, faster, and more intensely. Camilla had to bite the pillows to silence her ever increasing screams. I saw her claws rip up the sheets as she grasped the bed.

I spanked her. Once. Twice. Each got a pleasurable jump and muffled grunt. The third brought her to the edge as she finally released the pillow.

"AHhoooh! By Seven! BY the Gods, Dragon! I'm cumming!" I could tell because her tail was tightening even more.

"I am as well!" I said squeezing her hips. My midsection was tightening, ready for release.

"Hold me as you come. I want to feel you as close to me as physically possible."

I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around her chest and lying my head against her back.

We increased our tempo, brining us both further and further to climax, until finally we both gasped, screamed and groaned in ecstasy filled pleasure.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I felt myself release everything I had into her.

"MMMMMMMMMM—MMMMMHHHHHH!" Her insides clamped around me, sucking all of my seed until there was none left to give.

My breath tickled her back and under me I felt her shudder. Our bodies had become completely limp. I couldn't hold her anymore and her tail released my soring neck. I rolled off her, feeling my softening prick slide out of her easily.

On my back now, I panted. Stars danced across my sight as I eyed the ceiling. Camilla did the same, lying on her back and staring blankly at the ceiling. She panted fast, making her breasts rise and fall and jiggle. I wanted to augh at her astounded face, but I was too tired to do so.

So instead, I grabbed her hand, which rested on her breast and clasped it with mine. She looked at me, still with that bewildered look. I smiled. She smiled back. We both looked back up at the ceiling.

"That was great." I said.

"Yes, it was." She purred.

We both fell asleep later. Still next to each other, our hands still holding.

* * *

I was going through some documents as I walked down the main hall to my quarters. The war was nearly over. Almost every stretch of land was in my possession and soon, the main castle, my family's home would be next.

The documents I was going through were mostly parchments describing new weapons for the troops, supplied by the imps. Ways of funding for the final battle. And a whole bunch of other stuff that would take hours to go through and think over.

Which is why I was returning to my room. If I did these among my councilors and generals, the shouts would never stop, and I might end up roasting someone in annoyance.

I opened my doors and found Camilla sitting on one of the ornate chairs, reading a book.

She was wearing a completely different attire now.

Gone was the asymmetrical look she had, now replaced with a more even, regal look. Her skirt and blouse were a mixture of fashionable red, black, and gold. All held together by a red sash, with a golden ornament, that looked like it melded with her golden-trimmed popped out collar. This look showed off more skin on her chest, even pronouncing said part, much to my enjoyment. Her white choker was replaced with a red one, also decorated with an amber amulet. She wore an interesting pair of sleeves that were not attached to the rest of the look. The most striking feature was the crown-like headdress. It was still black, with gold trim, and now sporting five gold and ebony arcs going around her head like a sunbeam. The spikes of her fringe still poked out at the top. It had two earing-like ornaments on the side that actually made it look like she had earrings on. When asked about that piece she replied with "It makes me look more like an empress."

She looked up from her book, perking up in her own proud manor.

"My esteemed husband, lovely to see you. I find myself without a court case today, so do stay a while and listen. I have some thoughts to share with you."

She motioned for me to sit down on the chair next to her. I silently did as she told me, setting the documents I carried between us on the table.

"I never told you about my youth, did I?"

"I'm afraid you haven't." I answered. "Most of our conversation ranged from politics, to our own careers. Beyond those, nothing else."

Both of us smiled at that. Most couples would think it terrible that all they could talk about with each other was work instead of anything truly personal. But Camilla and I enjoyed those talks. I would even say most of our affections even come from said topics.

"Hm, yes." She smiled, but it was quickly replaced with a slight frown. "Perhaps the reason why I don't discuss my youth is because I do not recall it very fondly. I was raised in the strictest of discipline, you see. Indeed, the minor-most infraction was punished severely and judiciously."

"Ah. No wonder." I realized. "I can see why such an upbringing would lead you to the world of law: the very measure of right and wrong."

She nodded, causing her "earrings" to jingle. "In the short time I've been aboard the Raven, I have had to preside over some of the most interesting cases of my career and because of the—to my ears—often strange advice you offered, I have made some puzzling decisions that never the less felt right, and dare I say it, just."

I shook my head and smiled softly at her. "They weren't just my decisions. They were yours too. Because I know that you too are a just and righteous person, Camilla. Deep down, I know you are."

She covered her mouth as she giggled. "I'm not so sure about that. If it weren't for your guidance I would have made some very different choices. Under your auspices I have sometimes been able to explore beyond the letter of the law and discovered there the spirit of the law, a curious new territory, the exploration of which my own rigidity had previously prohibited. I am convinced though; these meanderings have made me a better judge."

She grabbed my hand, gently gripping it and stared into my eyes with her golden ones. "The satisfaction of serving the greater good has lukewarmed my cold blood and in doing so awoke an unknown affection. For you. Ha ha. In you I have found a kindred spirit. Someone who understands me. Someone who isn't afraid to challenge me. Someone that is there for me. Dare I say it?" She nodded to herself. "Yes. I love you."

I remember the first day I met Camilla. Her forked tongue was sharper and colder then any blade. Her words strong, fierce, and honest. She did not believe in this marriage and she had no qualms about telling me that.

Now, here she was, completely open with me. No harsh words or backhanded remarks. Just soft honesty and love. What other way could I respond?

"I love you too."

I leaned forward and we both kissed. Nothing chaste and nothing heated. Just a genuine, love-filled kiss.

* * *

Years passed, and the war came to an end. All of my siblings met their end either by my dragon flame or Camilla's justice. She was fair in her trials, even taking into account the demon, Corvus' influence. In the end, the siblings of mine that survived, were declared legally insane and were imprisoned. Not that it mattered since a month later they all died of suicide. Though some suspected foul pay, revenge for their war crimes as the whispers go, but that was a matter to be settled in a later story.

Camilla and I were considered one of the greatest pairings in Rivellon. We both worked well together to bring order to the kingdom. Camilla never stopped being a judge. She found time between her duties as a queen and her duties as a judge. Many still considered her cold-blooded, but a lot also believed her to be fair and was always willing to look out for the ones who were abused.

Those that were truly innocent, found tears of happiness and relief. And Camilla was gifted with the gratitude only a truly innocent person could give. And the guilty were given swift punishment, reminding everyone that the lizard judge wore iron gloves as well as velvet.

"The Iron Lizardess of Velvet." As most liked to call her.

Though regardless of what everyone thought of her, there was always one person's opinion that mattered the most to her. Mine.

She still came to me from time to time. Asking me my opinion on an interesting case. Over the years we had gotten to know each other more personally. Beyond just our careers.

I had even met Camilla's parents. A rough bunch, that were colder and more stoic then Camilla ever was. The first time I met Camilla was warmer than my first meeting with her parents. They did not particularly like me. They had heard of my influences on Camilla and believed I had corrupted her beliefs.

As I was about to defend her, Camilla jumped in instead. She immediately told them off fearlessly. Giving them the same sharp and harsh words that she was famously known for. What she spoke to them was enough to shock the elder lizards into silence. We didn't stay long after that and what future interactions we'd have with Camilla's family would be far, short, and in-between.

But it didn't matter to either of us. Because . . .

Camilla and I had a rare moment alone together. There was no business to settle. No court cases. No urgencies in the kingdom. Just us two alone, having a picnic.

We sat on a blanket, in the royal gardens, admiring the sun as it slowly descended the horizon. Her head rested on mine, our arms wrapped around each other in a loving embrace. Camilla's tail wrapped around my waist and with my other hand I stroked it soothingly. Contented smiles were plastered on our faces.

Suddenly, we were taken out of our musings by the sounds of cracking. We quickly jerked up, almost knocking over our food and hustling over to a stroller. We looked inside and saw four eggs twitching randomly.

Excitement spread over our faces as little by little, the white shells started to crack. More jiggling, more cracking, until finally . . . something burst out.

For the first time since I've known her, Camilla cried. An array of emotions flooded through her and me. We held our babies in our hands. We each took two. One for each arm. As they cried we rocked them until they finally calmed down.

We both looked at each other, closed the distance and kissed.

* * *

 **Up Next: Lohannah**


	8. Pragmatic Nature

**AN: Sorry this took so long people. Sorry if my long absence made you feel like this story was abandoned. I got no excuse. I was just focusing on my other top story and time just got away from me.**

 **Well, here it is the last princess. Lohannah. In case none of you knew Lohannah is my number one favorite. I did the princesses in the order of my favorability. Ophelia was my fourth favorite, Aida was third, Camilla was second and Lohannah is obviously first. The main reason why I like Camilla and Lohannah more is because in my opinion their stories do more to affect the world, where as Aida and Ophelia's stories focus more around them. There's nothing wrong with that but in my opinion Lohannah and Camilla just do more with the world around them then the other two. And that makes a better character story.**

 **Thank you all for staying with me so far! Enjoy the chapter.**

 **Warning: Lemon in this chapter!**

* * *

Lohannah. Beautiful Lohannah. I knew Oberon to over-exaggerate constantly, but when he spoke of the elven Princess even I thought he didn't do her justice. Prim, golden hair, cerulean eyes that sparkled like stars, plump luscious pink lips, fair skin as soft as silk, and curves that would make goddesses jealous.

I married her not just for her beauty though, but because out of all of the princesses, she wanted to marry me not for power, politics, or to get away from something, but for love. She truly wanted to love me and give us a try and that touched me. It was obvious however that she was sheltered her entire life. Knowing next to nothing of the outside world, except what her people wanted her to know. But I was okay with her innocent and naive outlook because I was also new to these new and strange things. And what better adventure to have then to share it with someone who was also new to it.

* * *

I walked into my private quarters and found my new wife and queen exploring them. I heard her hum a tune as she tended to a potted plant sitting on the table. She must have brought it herself because I know that it wasn't there before. It also looked like it was native to elven lands.

An hourglass waist wrapped in a handmade natural green and white corset-like outfit that seemed to just barley cling to her body. It was decorated with little pink flowers and the white "bra" showed off her bosom quite appealingly, as well as the ruby-inlad, silver pendant resting around her neck. I noticed her left shoulder strap fell off her smooth skin and she calmly put it back into place. Only for it to fall mere seconds afterwards. From the bottom she wore a silken skirt that showed off a curvy behind and was barefoot, as most elves were, save for the ankle-loops fastened to her foot. Her hair was done up into a hive, decorated with a pink butterfly hairpin and a silver diadem enfolded around her forehead.

As soon as she turned around, Lohannah stopped humming and looked startled seeing me in the entryway of the quarter's door. But her surprise quickly turned into an elated smile.

She bowed courteously, as one would expect from a princess. "My husband." She let out a giggle. Her voice was like honey and silk combined. Sweet, soft, and nice. "It's quite enjoyable to say that."

I smiled wryly and returned the same elegant bow. "My wife." I peeked up at her and we both let out a short laugh.

"This sure feels different." I said as I scratched the back of my head.

"Indeed." She twiddled with her fingers. "But a good different, yes?"

"Yes. I'd say so. Very good."

We just stood there, smiling at each other like a couple of daft teenagers. I admit, I didn't realize how long I was staring into those beautiful eyes of blue until the silence was heavy between us. A bout of awkwardness invaded my mind and I quickly tried to start up conversation again.

"So, what do you think of your new home?" I asked.

"Its is a marvelous chamber!" I think she too realized how awkward staring at each other, without saying anything, was. "Truly made for a princess! Never had I seen steel wrought so delicately—so very different from our wooden elven homes, yet alike in elegance."

"It's truly a marvel, isn't it?" I said. My eyes scanned the interior, mesmerized by the craftsmanship. I can't say I wasn't as excited a Lohannah when I first boarded the Raven. "I'm glad you're feeling at home."

"Everyone has been so welcoming! We have even received gifts for our matrimony. Things that can spruce up our lovely room."

"Well, I'll leave that to you then. Unfortunately, my duties will take me away, but please, do whatever you want to make yourself comfortable here."

"Thank you! That's so sweet." She looked around the room, placing a finger to her lip, likely wondering what she could do with it. "As I admire this ship, I can't help buts smile as I recall how some at High Court said my staying aboard the Raven would corrupt me—taint my elven nature. What nonsense! But I know Oberon will keep a watchful eye on me nonetheless. To guarantee I don't break with our traditions. Like a hawk he'll be and I its fledgling."

I raised an eyebrow at that, to which she giggled in response.

"O, never mind my sweet. I'm rambling about silly things, whereas we have a wedding to celebrate. I just know you and I will be blissfully happy."

I smiled as happily as she did. Her optimism was so infectious. "Yes. I suppose then—"

"Commander!" A voice over the intercom spoke. "You are needed on the bridge."

I sighed tiredly. The moment was ruined now. But I straightened up, put my shoulders back and prepared to look like the commander everyone saw me as.

"Duty calls." I turned on my heels and strode out of the room. Before I reached the door though a dainty hand grasped my wrist. I turned around and saw a sad, worried look on the elven princess' face.

"Do you really have to go back and fight that horrible war?" She asked almost despairingly. "I know you're a dragon and can take on an army a day, but . . . I know I shall be ever so nervous each time you fly off to face the enemy!"

She truly cared. It's been a long time since someone cared about me like that. Oh, sure I had my Generals, my Councilors, and even Maxos. But none of them were close to me to actually "care." My wellbeing only mattered to them because they needed me to fight this war. Maxos was no different.

I didn't hold that against them. This war did need to end, and I was the only one that could make it happen.

I smiled softly at her. Her concern was touching and almost made me think about staying. I turned around and cupped her slender face in my hands. Her cheeks turned red with blush, but her eyes never wavered from mine.

"I wish I didn't have to go too, but I have to." I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "As long as you wait for me though, I can promise you I will return."

She didn't respond to me, but the look on her face said everything. I released her and walked out the door. Not before I heard the whispered words of Lohannah's soft voice.

"I would wait eternity for you."

* * *

For three days I've been gone. Three days of fighting my insane siblings' forces and liberating the lands of the other races. Not the first time sure, but it never got easier—war. War never changes. Bloody, violent, hateful, where does such a thing end?

I was a simple peasant, living in the countryside. And now I've gone to be the leader of a rebellion in a full-scale war and if I won I'd be an Emperor. Sometimes I just felt the weight of my own life on my shoulders.

These last few days have sapped so much energy from me. All I wanted to do was head to my quarters and get some sleep. I told Maxos to handle things for a while and to only bug me if the world was in truly dire need of my intervention. Dire need being: if the world threatened to explode in five minutes.

I entered my room and the fragrance of flowers and clean air rejuvenated me in an instant. My focus returned, and I saw my room decorated ceiling to floor with colorful, exotic flowers. The room had remained relatively unchanged, save for the hanging flowers draped across the rafters, and potted plants of the biggest flora I had ever seen. Some of these plants looked like they came directly from elven lands.

"Oh! You have returned my love!" Lohannah raced towards me and threw herself into my arms. She buried her head into my chest, rubbing her blonde hair against me. She smelled more heavenly then any of the plants here.

"I have missed you." She told me.

I hugged her back. "And I you."

She released me and motioned to the entire room. "What do you think of our room?"

"It's nice. But none of these flowers are as lovely as you."

Lohannah blushed and giggled. "You charmer!" She playfully slapped my shoulder.

She then grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the couch. "Come, sit. I haven't seen you in a while. Tell me about your day."

I did as she asked and sat down. She wrapped her arms around mine and leaned into me.

"Tell me about your travels." She asked eagerly.

"Heh, you don't want to hear about that. It's a war, Lohannah. It hasn't been pretty." I smiled sadly at her. "You're about the only good thing I've seen in the last few days."

"Oh. I'm so sorry. For you to have to do all these horrible things for the sake of the world . . ." She suddenly lunged at me and hugged me tightly. "I wish I could always be there for you to make it better."

I hugged her back. "Just knowing you're here safe and sound, waiting for me is . . . all the comfort I need."

She nuzzled my chest and stared up at me. I brushed her hair as I immersed myself in those beautiful blue eyes of hers. We both became entranced by one another, time just seemed to move to a crawl, and slowly we leaned in.

Our lips met and softly we kissed. I felt her dainty hands grip the back of my shirt and I placed my hands on her head drawing her as close to me as possible.

I fell back, with her on top of me. Our kissing started to get more and more heated. I could feel her tongue stroking against my mouth begging to be let in. I was happy to oblige and hearing her moan was worth every battle I had faced in the war.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Lohannah jumped right off me with a squeak. I rose up, beyond frustrated, I wanted to roast whoever was on the other side of that door with my dragon fire.

"Special delivery, for Queen Lohannah!"

"I'll get it!" Lohannah blurted and quickly ran to the door.

I sighed and placed my hand on my cheek and rested my arm on the rest of the couch. The moment was gone.

Lohannah reached the door, but before she opened it, tried composing herself. She evened out the wrinkles on her dress and checked the mirror to see if she was still blushing.

Finally, she opened the door and received the letter from the dwarven mailman.

After tipping and bidding the man goodbye she opened the letter and read through it.

"Who's it from?" I asked.

Lohannah didn't answer me and continued to read. After about a minute she answered, but her face seemed dejected.

"Oh dear." She said sadly. "This is an invitation to attend a dinner party in my honor. The councilors want to welcome me aboard the ship and congratulate me on having become a dragon knight's proud wife."

She walked over to me and handed me the letter. I read it and it was quite formal. Nothing about it seemed particularly bad.

"That's pretty nice of them. Though you don't sound happy about it."

"That's just the thing! It's awfully jolly of them to throw me an impromptu jamboree, were it not that I don't eat meat."

I raised an eyebrow at that before it finally dawned on me. "Ah." She took the letter back to show me a certain section.

"You see, the invitation reads that the dwarves' top chef will prepare all courses and, as you know, those bawdy little fellows wouldn't consume a vegetable if it'd make them lay golden eggs!"

"That is . . . honestly true." I had never known a dwarf to eat anything that wasn't alive first.

"I don't mean to insult the council, but I don't think I can attend this dinner." She said unsurely.

"This "no meat" rule of yours is an elven tradition, right?"

She nodded. "Yes. My people believe it is abhorrent to devour the flesh of a living creature. We believe all life is precious and should not be killed for some mundane reason as consumption."

"I wouldn't call fasting mundane my dear, but I understand your predicament."

"I'll have to refuse this dinner invitation." She said dejectedly.

"I wouldn't say that."

"What?"

"You've never tried meat before, this will be a perfect opportunity."

"But . . . my people's traditions—"

"I understand your misgivings but trust me, it's not as bad as the elves claim. You've never had meat before so how can you say it's bad?"

I saw a twinkle of curiosity in her eyes, only held back by the restraints of doubt. "But—"

"Just try it once and if you still don't like meat, no one will blame you. Some foods you just don't care for, but at least you showed people your willing to try first."

Lohannah looked down at the letter, seeming in deep thought.

"I suppose." She considered. "It's a moral issue rather then a practical one among elves, true, but maybe I should make an exception now that I dwell in mixed company. Surrounded as I am by all kinds of outlandish customs. I'll think it over, dearest."

"That's all I ask you to do." I sat up and took the letter from her hands, placing it on the table. "Come on. Let's go to bed. You can think of a response tomorrow, when your all rested."

She let out a cute little yawn that made her look even more adorable.

"Yes. It's been a long day. Sleep sounds wonderful."

I walked over to the dresser and got ready for bed. Removing my clothes and disposing them in the hamper, I then put on my nightwear.

"To eat meat . . . or not to eat meat." She mumbled and hummed. "When I was a little girl I used to decide upon the yea or nay of things by plucking the petals from a flower. Now I ask for a dragon's advice." She chuckled.

I chuckled along with her. "Yeah. That is a funny transition." I finished putting on my nightwear and turned around. "I know the feeling of how life can chaaaa—"

When I turned around, I saw Lohannah, undressed and naked as the day she was born. She was smiling at me seductively, but it was a bit hard to focus on her smile when I saw two perky breasts and beautiful flower staring my way.

She pulled the braids and ties from her golden hair, shaking her head, her long hair fell to her back.

"Coming to bed?"

She walked out of my sight and I heard the springs of our bed squeaking. I rushed out of the bathroom and hopped right onto our bed, eliciting an excited giggle from Lohannah.

* * *

Another hard victory, but one that was more meaningful then the others. One of my siblings was slain. My brother—former brother. He was held in a fortress surrounded by an ocean of soldiers and death machines. Even in my dragon form the battle was rough and after the battle I didn't feel any less weary.

My mood was only slightly heightened thanks to the celebrations of my men and generals. Henry especially was quite crazy in celebrating. I got caught up despite myself and even did a little victory flight around the Raven in dragon form before transforming back. That seemed to boost the morale amongst my men.

The celebrating was so grand that even my councilors were in better moods today, a good amount of arguing was present, but not as bad as it could usually get. I dare say, even Yorrick wasn't as insufferable!

Apparently, it wasn't just my victory, dear Lohannah attended their dinner and greatly impressed them. Well, all but Oberon apparently. He was not happy to see his people's royalty eating meat and apparently, he voiced this during dinner. To which Lohannah put him in his place verbally. I almost wish I could have seen that! Yorrick described it as a lashing that would have removed flesh were her words physical.

After returning to the Raven Maxos advised me to take it easy for a bit and so here I lay on my couch. Enjoying a nice glass of wine.

My doors suddenly opened, and I instantly knew it was Lohannah. No one aboard the Raven would ever barge into our quarters like that unless it were an emergency.

"There you are!" My golden-haired beauty declared excitedly. "I can't believe you were out and about coursing through the sky. What a victory! One that will be sung about for all time no doubt."

"Yes, no doubt." I said absently.

"Dear?" She sat down next to me. I was still staring t my glass. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah . . . yes. I just . . . we lost a lot of people."

"Oh" Realization appeared on her face. "Yes—I heard many didn't make it."

"Including my brother."

"Your brother? I didn't think you were close to any of them."

"I'm not. That was the first time I ever met my brother. Someone who shared my blood."

"Darling?"

I sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't bother you with this."

She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "Of course, you can bother me with this! I'm your wife and as your wife I demand you tell me what's wrong."

I looked at her and I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Alright. The only family I ever had, I ever knew, was mother. She never told me about my father or anyone else that I was related to. When Maxos found me all those months ago I . . . I didn't know what to think. Since mother died . . . I've felt alone. And to learn that I had family . . . royal family . . . insane family—family I had to kill-!"

I quickly set the wine glass down and rubbed my face, feeling the tears coming and trying hard to stop them. I felt Lohannah embrace me and rub my back. She shushed me.

"I get it. I understand." She said.

"I'm not a violent man, Lohannah. I don't take any pleasure or joy in this war. I'll do it for all our sakes, but by the Seven I will never enjoy killing what's left of my family."

A moment of silence passed by. Lohannah still hugged me and I squeezed her arm for support. After a while I collected myself.

"We're family." Lohannah said suddenly. She looked me in the eyes. "Aren't we?"

I smiled and let out a short chuckle. "Yeah. Yeah I guess we are family."

She smiled back and leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Thank you Lohannah." I leaned my head onto hers. "Now, enough about my horrible day. Why don't you tell me about yours? How was the dinner party?"

"Oh, I'm still reeling from that fabulous dinner they served us!"

"It was good, huh?"

"More than good! Bless you for giving me a little push when I needed it. Dwarf coking is delicious, and elves are fools for drawing the line at lettuce." She said chastisingly.

I laughed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I heard you made the dwarf chef very happy."

She waved my words off happily. "Giving him that knighthood was the least I could do. And it doesn't mean he has to trade in his spatula for a sword. No, he can keep his craft, whereas I must change my perspective."

She plopped down next to me on the couch. Her head rested on my arm which was curved around her neck and shoulders. She hummed thoughtfully.

"Ever since that glorious meal I have been reevaluating the elven dictum that eating meat is some kind of great, unholy evil. I shan't eat it every day, but surely I can have it again without becoming some monstrous ghoul."

"Well of course you can!" I said. "The other races eat meat every day without becoming ghouls."

"Exactly!" She sprang up and looked attentively at me. "Why do we elves have to limit ourselves like this? There are many things that we elves are okay with doing, but we must draw the line at eating one basic food group?"

Lohannah looked down at the glass in my hand and then at the bottle on the table. "What bothers me most is to think of all the other things I have missed out on all this time. Did you know drinking wine is met with the same disdain among my kind? Well that must end! I want to taste that ruby liquid!"

She quickly grabbed the bottle and chugged several gulps down. I stood up and quickly took the bottle from her lips. As soon as I did, Lohannah's pink lips started to pucker and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Whoa, whoa, easy Lohannah. Wine's not meant to be drunk like that."

She smacked her lips, trying to overcome the taste and aftertaste. Her face quivered and she tried shaking her head. Her one eye twitched, so she shut it tight trying to control herself. She finally worked up the nerve to speak.

"Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away." She sighed.

I gave her a hug and rubbed her back. "It's alright." I grabbed a second glass and filled it up. "How about we share a glass, you and I?"

"I don't see why not." She took her glass and we clinked them together. "Mmm, much better in small gulps." She took another sip. "Delicious, but I hear there are better vintages then this. I'll order us the finest wine in the land and we'll share another glass together."

I smiled. "That sounds wonderful. The lizards have the best vineyards in the realm. Perhaps you can get one from there."

"A marvelous idea!" She finished off the rest of her drink. Her cheeks became tinted with red from just the small bit of alcohol she's never had before. "My word, it's fun to be naughty and try forbidden things! I wonder what whisky will taste like! I've heard awfully good things about whisky!"

* * *

I landed on the deck of the Raven with a resounding "THUD." I flapped my aching wings and waited for the imps to remove my jetpack.

What a harrowing battle! I had been in many fights before this one, but none have ever been as difficult as this one. It was a battle that lasted for three days. So many of our own troops fell and died every hour. The same could be said about the enemy, but it was hard for me not to focus on the falling numbers of my own people. One dying felt like one too many. I was so desperate to minimize casualties I flew in my dragon form for the majority of the battle, leaving my generals to handle the ground troops. The fight ended with me burning down the enemy castle, with everyone inside.

Despite the casualty reports being in the hundreds my generals said that the battle could have been so much worse without my help. That eased my tensions a little but made me feel no less depressed. After the imps removed the sparking, overcharged jetpack, I went to my quarters to relax and calm my nerves.

Unfortunately, that's when my elven councilor decided to follow me. And of course, instead of talking about the weather, or my wellbeing, he instead complained.

"Commander, I must protest in the highest of terms!"

"Of course, you do." I said drawly.

"Under your exalted rule, Lohannah has quickly managed to forget elf tradition only to become a carnivorous drunk! A development I can only interpret as a slight against our kind!"

I was dragging my feet just a bit faster now. "No one is slighting your people, Oberon. Lohannah just has more responsibility towards the realm then just the elves. She's learning to be an empress."

"By eating the flesh of innocent creatures and drinking like a sailor? By the Seven, she's but a beard away from becoming a dwarf! This must change—for her sake as well as the sake of our continued political cooperation."

I nearly reached my quarter's doors but stopped dead and turned around to Oberon. The elf seemed spooked for a second and quickly took a step back. By looking into his fear-filled eyes I would realize my eyes had turned into their slited dragon form and horns and spikes grew from my head.

"Oberon, let me make this perfectly clear. Lohannah and I are married. Elven royalty is tied to me now whether you like it or not. Lohannah is a grown woman, not a child and therefore will make her own decisions. Whether those decisions lead to her going against or for elven traditions is strictly up to her. So, unless you and the rest of elven kind want to fight this war on your own, I suggest you watch your tone. Do you understand me?"

Oberon seem to shrink with every word I said. His legs trembled as my draconic stare metaphorically crushed him into a quivering mess.

"Y-y-yess." The councilor managed to get out.

My eyes changed back, and my horns and spikes retracted. "Good."

I opened my room's doors and shut them right behind me with a loud "clack."

"Honey, it's so nice to see you!"

And just like that, my bad mood was gone. Lohannah's happy visage—all I needed to calm down and feel twenty pounds lighter.

We embraced, and my elven beauty took me by the hand and dragged me to the table near the window. We sat down next to each other where she began to tell me about her day.

"I've just returned from my trip to the lizard vineyards in Bhargandy." She said.

"Ah yes, how was it?"

"It was incredible! I didn't think such beautiful places of nature existed outside of elven lands. Grape trees as far as the eyes could see. With grapes of every kind, each juicier and more delicious then the last. The lizards were so kind and informative. They answered every curious question I had."

She reached behind her and pulled out a golden wine bottle. On it was the image of a half-naked lizardess elegantly posing, holding a jug of spilling water. "They even gave me this bottle, which I now present to you. Bottled over a century ago during the Year of the Golden Grapes. It is worth more than a bejeweled palace!"

I took the bottle and examined it excitedly. I knew she would get a valuable vintage, but I never would have thought the lizards would gift her one of their most treasured wines. This was akin to a dwarf granting her his gold! This spoke volumes of Lohannah's impression on the Lizards.

"This is a wonderful gift! Thank you!" I said.

"You're very welcome! And it will interest you to know that this gift represents more than meets the eye. I think you'll find that Prospera—and in fact all Lizards—were quite taken with me. Which reflects very positively on you in turn."

"I don't doubt that. So why don't you tell me all about your trip."

"Oh, such a sight those Lizard vineyards! The rolling hills, the winding rivers. If ever we have time for a honeymoon, let's go to Bhargandy!"

"I promise, when this war ends, we'll go wherever you'd like for our honeymoon."

* * *

I hate paperwork. Not as much as I hated talking with my councilors, but paperwork from my councilors? I have to read their complaints over and over? There is not enough fire in the world to represent my hatred.

My councilors were a bunch of whining children sometimes. Especially Yorrick, with his constant religious fanaticism. Lately though Oberon has tied with the Undead for the spot of most annoying councilor. Ever since Lohannah came aboard my elven councilor has had much more to complain about. And they all center around my wife.

Speak of the angel and she shall come. Lohannah suddenly burst through the door and rushed over to me.

Once she reached me, she started pacing back and forth in front of my desk. "My love, my love, what a pickle I am in!"

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"You have heard about the new statue that will be placed in Government Square have you not? The one that school children from all over Rivellon could pick the subject for?"

I nodded.

"Well it turns out . . . I am the very subject that they chose."

"Well, that's wonderful!" I saw that disconcerted look on her face. "Isn't it?"

"Of course, I am very flattered, but . . . we elves don't create statues of other elves. To do so is . . . almost idolatrous!"

"Huh." Now that I thought about. I never have seen a statue of an elf before. At least not one made by an elf. "I didn't realize that was something elves were against."

"Yes. We believe beauty should be natural—fleeting. Never to be immortalized. It is hubris of the most disgusting kind."

I leaned back in my chair. I was fully committed to this conversation. "Are you going to refuse?"

"I should refuse!" But there was so much doubt in her face. "I . . . should I?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so. Those children see you as an inspiration—as do I."

She looked at me with a mixture of shock and confusion. "I-inspiration?"

"You're beautiful . . . kind . . . thoughtful. When I told you about all the people that died you went ahead to visit all the families who were mourning. You showed you cared."

She gasped. "You knew about that?"

I walked around my desk and stood in front of her. "In my opinion, there's nothing in this world that can capture your true beauty."

Lohannah suddenly lunged forward and planted her lips on mine. I wrapped my arms around her as our lips smacked and wrestled with one another.

We finally stopped for air and Lohannah spoke. "Aren't you sweet. You know what, you're right. I was chosen, and I won't back down. O this is so exciting!" She suddenly developed a cheeky grin. "Perhaps I should model in the nude . . ."

A blush appeared on my cheeks, but I quickly returned the same grin. "Well, if you feel like taking off your clothes . . ." I looked around, "I don't see why you can't do it here?"

Lohannah suddenly jumped on me and once again we entered a fight between lips. The smacking of our mouths echoed through the room. I held her by her thighs, feeling her soft skin—not just in my hands, but all over my body. Her clothes were so thin I could almost feel all of her.

She held onto my face with her hands never letting go even when I went to kiss her neck. She let out a pleased moan and her hips began to buck against mine.

I turned around and put her on my desk. I looked behind her as she started kissing my neck.

"Shit I forgot about the paperwork." I looked at her. "You're way to distracting."

All of a sudden Lohannah swiped her arm across the desk, knocking paper into the air to drift to the floor.

"I'll help you with it later." She said. "Right now . . . love me."

And just like that, we were back to liplocking. Our tongues connected, wrapping around each other—tasting each other. She was like sweet honey and blossoms and she smelled of fresh air and many, many flowers.

She had reached for my pants, unzipped them and forced them down. I pulled down her dress, revealing her beautiful and bountiful bosom. They jiggled when I gave her one big thrust.

She released a loud, sinful moan. She never wore anything underneath her skirt. So, whenever we felt frisky, we were free to do it almost anywhere.

I thrusted more, and she rewarded me with beautiful sighs and 'ahs.' I lowered my head and suckled her breasts. She stroked and kissed my head. My hands roamed her body. Her back, her shoulders, her hips, and her thighs. I reached underneath her, cupped her cheeks, and pushed further into her.

She tried covering her mouth when she unleashed a loud pleasurable moan. She tried to control herself, but she couldn't. I smiled, to help her I stopped kissing her chest and kissed her full on the lips. She wailed into me as I pumped into her.

I went faster and faster, feeling my climax come. Lohannah was practically screaming now.

"I'm coming! I'm COMING!"

"So am I!"

"Inside! Inside!"

I happily obliged and gave her one last thrust that made a loud 'smack' between us. Lohannah kissed me to silence herself as she orgasmed. I spent everything I had into her as I kissed her back with equal hungry fervor.

When it was all over, we stopped kissing. We sighed in relief and fell on the desk.

Well, Lohannah fell on the desk and I fell on her. Still inside her, my head resting on her chest. I could feel her hand stroking the back of my neck. Our perspiration was melding with each other, just like our bodies.

"I love you, so much." She said.

"I love you too."

* * *

"Lohannah!"

"My Love!"

Both Lohannah and I embraced each other. I was desperate to feel her. Desperate to ensure she was alright.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine! Nothing happened." She ensured.

"I heard—"

"Ssh." She put her fingers to my lips and shushed me. "I know what you heard. And I know what I heard. You decimated an entire battlefield just to come check on me."

"I was worried." I breathed. I gripped and rubbed her delicate hands. "I was scared that . . . damn that blasted elf!"

"Calm, my Dragon. Calm." She rubbed my face soothingly.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I just focused on her touch.

"I'm fine. That elf was stopped, and everything was okay after that."

I nodded "Are you good?" she asked.

I swallowed. "I'm good."

"Good. Have you seen my statue on Government Square?" I shook my head wordlessly. "It's breathtaking—a masterpiece! Della Gecko is a genius. An artist beyond description!"

I smiled charmingly at her. "Well just look at what he had to work with."

"You flirt!" She giggled. She stood on her toes and kissed me chastely. "You're kind of right though. Oh am I ever so glad I didn't listen to Oberon. He went on and on about tradition and idolatry during the whole thing. What a bore that man can be!"

I frowned a little at the mention of Oberon. My elven councilor told me many elves were protesting Lohannah's statue, and that he wasn't even surprised that one of them tried to destroy the festivity. He was quite arrogant about it, then he tripped and broke his nose. Courtesy of my tail behind he legs.

"Yes, Oberon can be quite . . . vocal." Was all I was willing to say.

"The unveiling was such a heart-warming event." Lohannah continued. "All the children gathered round and when I cut the rope and the canvas came down, a great sigh of awe surged through the crowd as they beheld the statues beauty!"

"I wish I could have seen it." I said sadly.

"O you don't need to see it actually." She hugged me. "You got the real thing right here."

I hugged her back.

She then suddenly let out a sad sigh. "I still can't believe some elf fanatic tried to blow up the statue because he thinks I violated the sacred laws of our people. He called me such awful things. A vain harlot. A witch of pride. He looked so vile as he was being taken away. Never would I have thought an elf capable of such madness. And all because of a decision I made . . ."

I cupped both her hands and looked her right in the eyes. "Sacred laws can breed fanaticism. It's not your fault." I said resolutely.

She smiled appreciatively at me. "I know it isn't my love, but thank you for confirming it. This entire episode has been quite an eye opener. For had I not been your queen and would have heard about an elf princess far away vain enough to carve her likeness into marble, I too might have applauded the conspirator's intentions."

"Well you're not that person. You're you. Lohannah, a smart, beautiful woman, whom I'm lucky to be married to."

"I'm the lucky one. You pushed me to see things differently. Now I know better. Now I realize that I'd have been perpetuating a distorted view of art limited by silly laws. Shackled by misguided preconceptions. No more!"

Then, like a balloon, she deflated and all the energy she had was almost gone. She leaned forward, her slumped a little.

"Lohannah?" I asked worriedly.

"It's alright." She waved me off. "it's just- to be proud for oneself and sad for one's people. It is a burdensome blend of emotions."

I hugged her and rubbed her back as I rocked back and forth.

"How about we have some dinner?" I asked. "We can talk more about your day."

"That sounds lovely." She nodded.

"Go get ready then. I'll order us some food to be taken up to our quarters."

Once again, she nodded tiredly and walked to the bathroom. When she closed the door behind her, my face grimaced something dreadful.

I went the comm-phone and contacted one of my men.

"Hello? Yes! I'm calling about that elf that tried to bomb the unveiling of Empress Lohannah's statue? Yes, him. Yes. No. I want him executed. No. I don't care. Just say he was bumped up. I don't care if the elves will get angry, let this be a warning to never threaten my wife again. He'll hang by morn. Good."

The elf was livid, which was quite enjoyable. The man was more flamboyant in his exaggerations then a male elf should be


End file.
